Explained: Neeraj Chopra's tryst with 90m and beyond

With his exploits at the 2025 Doha Diamond League, Neeraj Chopra sent the Indian media on overdrive. The mythical 90m mark was breached and India’s ‘golden boy’ had joined an elite club of 25 men that had previously achieved that distance in the history of the sport.

In the midst of the euphoria, eagle-eyed observers were taking note of Chopra’s routine at Doha.

Something appeared different. For starters, he wasn’t falling over to his left after releasing the javelin. Instead, he stood upright and watched his javelin sail through the warm night sky.

Could that be the telling factor?

Not entirely, says Michael Musselmann, a former javelin thrower, who has been coaching aspirants the world over for the past two decades.

“The falling over is not bad,” he tells The Bridge. “When Jan Zelenzy threw the world record, he fell over. The momentum will push you forward. So, that’s not so much the problem.”

So, what then has Chopra unlocked?

“The opening up and rotation”

Javelin throwers, Musselmann explains, must open up and rotate their body to release the javelin.

“The problem with Neeraj Chopra is when he is opening up and over rotating, the javelin, instead of traveling straight, travels to the left. So you lose momentum.”

This, according to Musselmann has traditionally cost the Indian anywhere between 3 to 4 meters, a difference between gold and second best.

As it turns out, this was also the reason for Chopra’s repeated groin injuries.

“Groin injuries (occur) because you are opening up the throw a little bit too much. And when you see his throws, if you see the run up as a straight line, whenever the throw goes to the left side, it's because you're opening too much,” says Musselmann.

Purists will always point to the straight line run up and the straight trajectory of the javelin after it leaves the thrower’s arm as vital ingredients for the perfect throw. Much like the European throwers of yore, the Germans and Finnish athletes, all of whom maintain a straight line – from run up to release and javelin trajectory.

But the straight line is not all.

Altitude and posture

Another factor that determines the perfect throw is the height of the throw. Greater the altitude of the throw, shorter is the distance achieved. Well, mostly.

This, Musselmann explains, by citing the European throwers again.

“They are almost like a straight line as parallel to the run up. So, their throws go low and straight.”

Additionally, elite athletes always execute their throws over their shoulders. Neeraj Chopra, however, as per Musselmann, has the tendency to not always deliver over his right shoulder and this contributes to his throws either gaining height or swaying to the right.

These corrections are now being enforced by Jan Zelenzy, who has historically emphasized on ‘staying close to the left arm.’

“So, you're running and your left arm stays extremely close, and the javelin tail is almost parallel to the run-up. This is the Jan Zelenzy school,” explains Musselmann, while pointing that this modification is now working in Chopra’s favour.

So, will this mean that Chopra is going to hit 90m consistently?

Tail winds and health

Technique aside, other worldly factors also impact marks achieved by a javelin thrower.

For instance, Doha has traditionally been a favourite for throwers owing to the favourable tail winds in the city.

Germany’s Thomas Röhler famously hit 93.90m in 2017 and at the 2025 edition, both Julian Weber and Neeraj Chopra breached the 90m mark together.

Additionally, the warm weather in Doha tends to create a comfortable feeling for athletes, a fact that Chopra himself acknowledged when speaking with the media after the event there: “The wind helps and weather is little warm and that helps.”

Take the tail wind out of the equation and put the athletes on a slightly chilly track and the outcomes are as different as chalk and cheese.

As was the case with the results in the overcast and soggy 15 degrees Polish weather where Weber and Chopra were brought down to earth - from the high 90s of Doha to 86.12m and 84.14m respectively.

And there is the health factor as well.

With Chopra declaring at the start of season that he is healthy, a 90m throw appeared on the cards.

But can the 27-year-old go any further?

Musselmann remains bullish with his prediction.

“He’s going to reach 93m-something this year and hopefully reach his peak of 95m in 2028.”