Neeraj Chopra set to compete in Poland after NC Classic postponement

Indian javelin star Neeraj Chopra will participate in the 71st ORLEN Janusz Kusociński Memorial event in Chorzów, Poland, on May 23, following the postponement of the NC Classic in Bengaluru due to tensions between India and Pakistan.Chopra will face strong competition in Chorzow, including two-time world champion Anderson Peters from Grenada, Germany's Julian Weber, and Polish national record holder Marcin Krukowski. Polish athletes Cyprian Mrzyglod and Dawid Wegner will also compete.This Polish event marks Chopra's third competition of the season. He began in South Africa and will compete next at the Doha Diamond League on May 16, where he previously won in 2023 with 88.67m and secured second place in 2024 with 88.36m.Peters, who will also compete in Doha, was scheduled to participate in the now-postponed NC Classic alongside 2016 Olympics gold medalist Thomas Rohler of Germany and 2015 world champion Julius Yego of Kenya.The ORLEN Janusz Kusocinski Memorial, a World Athletics Continental Tour silver event, holds significance as Poland's oldest continuously held track and field meeting and one of Europe's most historic competitions.The event has attracted world-class athletes since its inaugural edition in 1954, established by friends of Olympic champion Janusz Kusocinski.Chopra's season began successfully at the Potch Invitational Track event in Potchefstroom, South Africa, on April 16, where he achieved a throw of 84.52m in the World Athletics Continental Tour Challenger competition.Looking ahead, Chopra plans to compete at the Golden Spike 2025 athletics meet in Ostrava, Czech Republic, on June 24. He hopes to participate successfully after withdrawing from the previous two editions due to injuries.The NC Classic, which Chopra was set to host on May 24, would have featured several international and Indian athletes before its postponement.