Bengaluru: Neeraj Chopra responded to the chant “Neeraj, Neeraj, Neeraj, Neeraj” after he fought back after etching a foul on his first throw to etch his name on the winner list of Three Canteriva Stadium’s first Neeraj Chopra Classic on Saturday night.Like the Indian Super League Bengaluru FC home match, the 15,000 audience nearly filled the stands, danced and danced to a popular number of Aramans after watching his favourite star defeat the challenge from former world champion Julius Yego in Kenya. The two good friends headed from head to head as the competition warmed up after the first round when they saw Neeraj checking his run before fouling his attempts with what looked like a big heave.Yego, who came up with sixth on the 12 list, came up with an effort of 80.07 as he became the first athlete on the day he defeated the 80m mark. Brazil’s Louise Mauricio da Silva improved to 80.31m, but Chopra came up with his first big throw, landing at 82.99m. The illuminated marks on the field were placed at 75m and 80m, and were then straightened to the world’s lead mark 91.06m by German Zealan Weber.The first thrower of India Sahil Silwar, the Indian ankle, twisted first, his ankle first but scored a foul as the winds swirling heads challenged some of the best javelin throwers in the business. Yego settled at 79.73m and came up with a big one measured at 82.33 by Asian silver medalist Sachin Yadav. Sri Lanka’s Lumaspasseej leveled the competition with a wave of 84.34m, but Neerajchopra nailed the gold with the biggest bump of the day, making him feel unwell to leave late: 86.18m.Yego found the biggest throw of the day in his fourth attempt. After the first three rounds the field was reduced to top 9, measuring 84.51m. Yego’s best efforts of the season made him silver and pushed Pathireage to settle for bronze with the 84.34m best.Chopra fouled his fourth time, then recorded 84.07m on his final attempt, with the top eight lined up for the final attempt. Neeraj was once again in his final turn, but he had the gold in his pocket, even before he went to start his run, as Yego’s challenge ended with his sixth round throw at 82.45m. The Indian star was still trying to get past his best of the day, but not as he settled in the final round of 82.22m.India’s Sachin Yadav (82.33) finished fourth, with Yashbil Singh (79.65) finishing in eighth place. Rio Olympic gold medalist Thomas Roller failed to make it to the top eight Results (Top 8): 1. NEERAJCHOPRA (IND, 86.18M), 2. Julius Yego (Ken, 84.51), 3. RumeshPathirage (84.34M), 4. Sachin Yadav (82.33), 5. Cyprian MrzygłOD (Pol, 82.23), 6. Utmis Thompson (81.5), 6. Silva (Bra, 80.31), 8. Yashvir Singh (Ind, 79.65m)
