Kishore Kumar Jena has officially pulled out of the highly anticipated Neeraj Chopra Classic 2025 after suffering an ankle injury.
The meet, which marks India’s highest-profile athletics event to date, will now see 23-year-old Yash Vir Singh step in to replace Jena on July 5 at Bengaluru’s Kanteerava Stadium.
Jena, 28, was among five Indian athletes slated to compete in the javelin event alongside Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra, Rohit Yadav, Sachin Yadav, and Sahil Silwal. However, organisers confirmed his withdrawal this week, citing injury concerns that have hampered the Odisha athlete’s form in recent seasons.
The setback adds to a difficult stretch for Jena, who burst onto the international scene in 2023 after crossing the 80m mark for the first time. He later delivered a career-best 87.54m at the Asian Games in Hangzhou — a throw that remains India’s second-longest in history, trailing only Neeraj Chopra.
Since then, Jena has struggled to recapture his peak performance, with an injury-affected 2024 campaign yielding just two throws over 80m from five appearances. He also fell short at the Paris 2024 Olympics, exiting in the qualifying rounds. His best effort this season, a 78.60m throw, came at the Doha Diamond League, where he finished eighth.
Replacing Jena is rising talent Yash Vir Singh, who has steadily built his reputation in the Indian athletics circuit. The 23-year-old boasts a personal best of 82.57m, achieved earlier this year at the Asian Athletics Championships in Gumi, South Korea, where he secured a fifth-place finish.
Yash Vir was also runner-up at the Federation Cup in April, solidifying his credentials ahead of his appearance at the Neeraj Chopra Classic.
High-Calibre Field for India’s Top Athletics Meet
The inaugural Neeraj Chopra Classic, classified as a World Athletics Continental Tour Gold meet, is set to feature a world-class lineup. Olympic and world champion Neeraj Chopra will headline the competition, which has attracted major names in javelin throwing.
The field includes former world champions Anderson Peters (Grenada) and Julius Yego (Kenya), as well as Rio 2016 Olympic gold medallist Thomas Röhler (Germany). Pakistan’s reigning Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem, however, declined an invitation to compete.
Organised jointly by Neeraj Chopra, JSW Sports, the Athletics Federation of India, and World Athletics, the event represents a landmark moment for Indian athletics, offering fans a rare chance to witness a clash of global javelin heavyweights on home soil.
The Neeraj Chopra Classic will take place on July 5, 2025, at the Kanteerava Stadium, Bengaluru.
