Athletics' Golden Star Neeraj Chopra Honoured with 'Best Male Athlete' Award by AFI

India's javelin superstar Neeraj Chopra added another prestigious accolade to his glittering career on Saturday after being honoured with the Best Male Athlete of the Year 2025 award at the inaugural Indian Athletics Awards ceremony in New Delhi.

For Chopra, who has become one of the biggest faces of Indian sport over the past decade, the recognition carried special emotional significance. The Olympic gold medallist said receiving the award in the presence of athletes from different generations made the moment even more memorable.

"Yeh award dil ke nazdik hai (This award is very close to my heart). The old and new generation of athletes are here. I am very happy to have received the award in front of them," Chopra said after accepting the honour.

The award capped another remarkable phase in the career of the 28-year-old, who continues to inspire a new generation of Indian athletes. Despite battling injury setbacks over the past year, Chopra remains India's biggest medal hope in major international competitions and one of the country's most consistent sporting stars.

The ceremony came less than a day after Chopra competed at the Doha Diamond League , where he opened his season with a best throw of 85.69m to finish fourth. Having flown directly from Doha to attend the event, the star thrower underscored the importance of the occasion.

Chopra has been working his way back to full fitness after suffering a back injury ahead of the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo . The Doha meet marked his return to top level competition after an eighth-place finish at the World Championships. Since late May, he has been training in Switzerland following a rehabilitation programme in Turkiye .

Even in his comeback event, Chopra comfortably surpassed the 82.61m qualification standard set by the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) for the upcoming Commonwealth Games , highlighting his readiness for a crucial season.

The Indian ace now turns his attention to the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and the Asian Games in Japan , where he is expected to spearhead India's athletics medal challenge if he remains injury free.

Chopra's selection for the award was driven by an outstanding 2025 season . He achieved a historic milestone by breaching the coveted 90m mark for the first time, producing a throw of 90.23m at the Doha Diamond League. He also topped the Paris Diamond League standings and won the NC Classic in Bengaluru , reaffirming his place among the world's elite javelin throwers.

The awards ceremony also celebrated other standout performers in Indian athletics. Parul Chaudhary , the national record holder in the 3000m steeplechase , was named Best Female Athlete of the Year , while legendary sprinter and Indian Olympic Association President P T Usha received the Lifetime Achievement Award for her immense contribution to Indian sport.

Launched by the AFI , the Indian Athletics Awards aim to recognise excellence across the athletics ecosystem by honouring athletes, coaches, technical officials, mentors, state associations and other stakeholders who have contributed to the growth of the sport. The inaugural edition featured 10 award categories , reflecting the federation's effort to celebrate achievements at every level of Indian athletics.

With another major honour added to his collection and two marquee events on the horizon, Neeraj Chopra continues to stand as the face of Indian athletics and one of the country's brightest hopes for international success.