Kishore Jena ruled out of Neeraj Chopra Classic 2025 due to ankle injury

India's javelin star Kishore Jena has been ruled out of the inaugural edition of the Neeraj Chopra Classic 2025 due to an ankle injury, with Yashvir Singh coming in as his replacement in the final line-up.

"Kishore Jena has been ruled out of the Neeraj Chopra Classic 2025 due to an ankle injury. Yashvir Singh has been named as his replacement in the final lineup," Neeraj Chopra Classic said in a statement.

Yashvir and Kishore were in action Indian Open Athletics 2025 meet in Chennai in April earlier this year. Competing at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Chennai, Yashvir Singh produced his best effort of 77.49m on his fifth attempt, while Kishore's 75.99m throw came on his fourth attempt. The upcoming NC Classic is set to take place on July 5, at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru. Initially the tournament was scheduled for May 24th, however the event was deferred, due to cross-border tensions between India and Pakistan.

This landmark event, India's first-ever International Javelin competition, is spearheaded by India's most decorated Olympian, Neeraj, in collaboration with JSW Sports and sanctioned by the Athletics Federation of India (AFI). As a World Athletics-sanctioned Gold event, the Neeraj Chopra Classic promises to elevate India's status on the global athletics map. It will feature a stellar line-up of elite javelin throwers, making it a significant event for India. With a seating capacity exceeding 12,000, this competition is set to deliver an exhilarating display of athletic talent and skill.

While Tokyo 2020 gold medallist Neeraj will headline the meet named in his honour, the Indian athlete will face stiff competition from some of the sport's biggest names. The organisers of the event confirmed a 12-member entry list for the inaugural NC Classic. The roster remains nearly identical to the original entry list released prior to the postponement, with just one change - Poland's Martin Konecny has replaced Japan's Genki Dean. Anderson Peters, Thomas Rohler, and Julius Yego - the 2015 world champion and Rio 2016 silver medallist - will participate as planned initially.

The line-up also includes Pan American Games champion Curtis Thompson of the USA, Brazil's Luiz Mauricio da Silva and Sri Lanka's Rumesh Pathirage. Meanwhile, Sachin Yadav, Rohit Yadav and Sahil Silwal will represent the local challenge alongside Neeraj. (ANI)