Olympic and world javelin champion Neeraj Chopra captured the inaugural Neeraj Chopra Classic in Bengaluru on Saturday with a best effort of 86.18 metres, securing victory before a home crowd at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium. The newly minted World Athletics Category A meet is India’s first international javelin competition organised by an active athlete. Kenya’s 2015 world champion Julius Yego finished second with 84.51 m, while Sri Lanka’s Rumesh Pathirage took third at 84.34 m in a 12-man field that also featured Germany’s 2016 Olympic gold-medallist Thomas Röhler. Chopra, who co-hosted the event with JSW Sports under Athletics Federation of India sanction, said the turnout and competitive depth underscored rising domestic interest in track and field. The win extends the 27-year-old Indian’s run to three titles in 16 days—following his 88.16 m triumph at the Paris Diamond League on 20 June and an 85.29 m victory at the Ostrava Golden Spike on 24 June—and marks his 25th consecutive top-two finish. Chopra, who breached 90 m for the first time earlier this season in Doha, uses the Classic as part of his build-up toward defending his world title in Tokyo this September.