From javelin throw to event management, Neeraj Chopra has moved out of his comfort zone for NC Classic 2025

Neeraj Chopra knows a thing or two about handling responsibilities. If he didn’t, he would have long crumbled under the weight of expectations as India’s flag bearer in the global athletics circuit with his generational javelin-throwing prowess.

Over the last few months, Neeraj has taken on an unfamiliar task, one that has spiralled him into the nitty-gritties of event management, as the co-host of the first-ever Neeraj Chopra Classic.

On Saturday, at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru, NC Classic will finally lift off and mark itself as the highest-tier international athletics competition ever hosted by India.

Reigning world champion Neeraj was candid in admitting that the whole process of setting up the event has taken him out of his comfort zone, where he limits his thoughts just to his performance.

“An athlete’s mind is often simple. Till now, I have only had to focus on competing. But now, I have to take care of everything. As an organiser, I have to think about these small things.

For example, when I am eating and I spot something a little spicy, I think about the international athletes who are here and that the food should not be too spicy for them. But I like the whole process,” said Neeraj at a media interaction on the eve of the meet.

The NC Classic, though, has been a slippery challenge even for the usually unflappable Neeraj.

The event, a World Athletics ‘A’ category meet co-hosted by JSW Sports, the Athletics Federation of India and World Athletics, has seen its shape and form change dramatically since its initial announcement. It has changed its venue, altered its dates and has seen the original playing field transfigured, resulting in a dilution of quality.

As per the initial plan, the event was scheduled to be held in Panchkula on May 24. A stadium floodlight issue there forced it to be shifted to Bengaluru on the same date.

The meet was then postponed to the current date, due to safety concerns following Operation Sindoor.

Soon enough, reigning Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem declined Neeraj’s invitation in light of the rising cross-border tension between India and Pakistan.

Two-time world champion Anderson Peters withdrew just before the event due to an injury, while Kishore Jena, India’s second-best thrower of all time, followed suit.

Nevertheless, Neeraj and Co. succeeded in stitching up a high-quality lineup, including 2016 Olympic gold medallist Thomas Rohler and former world champion Julius Yego.

There is also a clutch of up-and-coming spearmen, such as American Curtis Thompson, Brazilian Luiz Mauricio da Silva and India’s Sachin Yadav, who recently claimed silver at the Asian Athletics Championship.

In addition to player invitations, Neeraj has also been the man on the ground, scouring publicity for his pet project. The two-time Olympic medallist has effectively carved away a chunk of his hard-earned exclusivity and closely guarded privacy for NC Classic’s sake.

Since he landed in Bengaluru last week, the Haryana athlete has scampered around the city to stoke up excitement through fan interactions, press meets and influencer collaborations – while also ensuring a warm welcome for the invited athletes.

Neeraj’s hospitality was on full display on Friday at the press meet. Often, he stepped in as a translator for Yego and Rohler when he was answering questions in Hindi. While compatriot Sachin struggled to get his response heard, Neeraj quietly nudged him to hold his microphone closer to his face.

All of this while Neeraj himself was a bundle of nervous energy, like an anxious schoolkid about to take a tough final exam.

While Neeraj has been at the forefront as the host, it would be fair to assume that his hospitality wouldn’t extend to the field, where he would look to reign supreme.

“The athlete in me is always up (for the competition). That’s why I’m trying to manage everything. But the athlete in me is always up. I’m training hard. After doing everything, I train. I did throw sessions, too,” assured Neeraj.

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In current form, none of Neeraj’s competitors comes close to him. The Indian thrower’s season best of 90.23m is a few notches ahead of the second-best in the field (Thompson, 87.76m).

While Rohler and Yego have better personal bests than Neeraj’s, both of them have been struggling with consistency in recent times.

Meanwhile, Neeraj is coming on the back of wins at the Paris Diamond League and the Ostrava meet. But he is yet to come close to the 90m mark he scaled earlier this year in Doha.

The 27-year-old has often reserved his best for the brightest of lights. The NC Classic is without doubt a few steps below an Olympic final or a World Championship.

But for Neeraj, it would probably matter as much, considering the effort he and his team have invested in propping this event up. Bengaluru could be in for something special on Saturday.