World Athletics Championships 2022: Neeraj Chopra chases India’s first-ever gold - full schedule

Neeraj Chopra ended India’s long wait for an Olympic gold medal in athletics last year. Now, the Indian javelin ace has set his sights on the World Athletics Championships 2022 in Oregon, USA.

Neeraj Chopra’s event at the World Athletics Championships 2022 will start on Thursday. The event, however, will begin at 5:35 AM IST on Friday in India.

A total of 32 javelin throwers will be competing in the two qualifying groups. From there, the 12 best will qualify for Saturday’s final. Watch live streaming of the World Athletics Championships 2022 in India.

Neeraj Chopra, who started his season only last month, has broken the national record twice in three competitions this year. He threw a personal best of 89.94m at the Stockholm Diamond League to rewrite the national record he set at the Paavo Nurmi Games in Finland in his season-opener.

However, the Indian javelin superstar will face stiff competition from the reigning world champion Anderson Peters of Grenada at Oregon 2022.

Anderson Peters has breached the 90-mark thrice this year and pipped Neeraj Chopra to gold in Stockholm earlier this month.

Besides Anderson Peters, Finland's in-form Oliver Helander, Tokyo 2020 silver medallist Jakub Vadlejch of the Czech Republic, Germany’s Julian Weber and London 2012 champion Keshorn Walcott will be the men to beat at Oregon22.

Oliver Helander had stunned both Neeraj Chopra and Anderson Peters for the top podium at the Paavo Nurmi Games last month.

This will be the second time Neeraj Chopra will be competing at the senior World Athletics Championships.

At the 2017 world championships in London, Neeraj Chopra recorded an 82.26m throw and failed to qualify for the final. In 2019, Neeraj Chopra was forced to sit out due to elbow surgery.

If Neeraj Chopra wins a medal at Oregon 2022, he will be only the second Indian athlete to clinch a podium finish at the championships after Anju Bobby George won a bronze in the women's long jump in Paris in 2003.

Apart from Neeraj Chopra, India’s Rohit Yadav is also listed to compete in the javelin throw event.

Neeraj Chopra’s schedule for World Athletics Championships 2022 and live India match times

All times in Indian Standard Time (IST)

July 22, Friday

Men’s javelin throw qualification (Group A) – 5:35 AM IST

July 24, Sunday

Men’s javelin throw final – 7:05 AM IST

Where to watch Neeraj Chopra live at the World Athletics Championships 2022?

Neeraj Chopra’s javelin throw event will be telecast live on the Sony TEN 2 and Sony TEN 2 HD TV channels in India.

Live streaming of the javelin throw at the World Athletics Championships will be available on the SonyLIV OTT platform in India.