President William Ruto has congratulated the 2015 World Javelin Champion and Olympic silver medallist Julius Yego for securing second place at the inaugural Neeraj Chopra (NC) Classic.
The event was held on Saturday at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru, India.
In a message shared on X, Ruto lauded Yego’s performance, calling it an inspiration to the country’s up-and-coming athletes.
“Your determination to succeed is a powerful inspiration to our young athletes, encouraging them to pursue their dreams with focus, discipline and self-belief. Well done,” Ruto stated.
Yego delivered a season-best throw of 84.51 meters on his fourth attempt, marking a significant step in his competitive resurgence ahead of the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo this September.
The event was won by India’s home favourite and reigning world champion Neeraj Chopra, who thrilled the crowd with an 86.18m effort on his third attempt.
Sri Lanka’s Rumesh Pathirage clinched third with a throw of 84.34m, narrowly missing Yego’s mark.
India’s Sachin Yadav, fresh off a silver medal at the 2025 Asian Championships, placed fourth with 82.33m.
The Neeraj Chopra Classic, named in honour of India’s Olympic gold medallist and national sporting icon, attracted a stellar lineup of global javelin talent.
Among the elite field were Germany’s 2016 Olympic champion Thomas Röhler, Poland’s European U23 champion Cyprian Mrzyglod, American Pan-American champion Curtis Thompson, and Brazil’s in-form Luiz Mauricio da Silva.
Yego’s impressive showing follows his victory at the Athletics Kenya National Championships on June 27, where he threw 79.27m.
His next test will be at the Paris Diamond League on June 20, as he continues to build momentum heading into the Tokyo World Championships.
The 36-year-old, nicknamed the “YouTube Man” for learning javelin technique online in his early years, is aiming for a major international comeback nearly a decade after his world title triumph in Beijing.
With his latest performance, Yego has once again proven his
staying power in a sport increasingly dominated by younger athletes, and his
eyes are firmly set on reclaiming a spot on the global podium.
