Bengaluru, July 6 -- The atmosphere at Sree Kanteerava Stadium was electrifying from the moment the gates opened. Each time Neeraj Chopra appeared on the runway - whether during his warm-up throws, his grand entrance, or in the heat of competition - the crowd erupted in deafening applause. On Saturday, the two-time Olympic medallist and reigning world champion experienced a level of fandom and adulation usually reserved for India's cricketing icons. The Neeraj Chopra Classic was the 27-year-old's quest to bring a world-class athletics event to India and it took flight spectacularly under the floodlights. Nearly 15,000 people filled the stadium with an infectious energy and passion rarely seen for an Olympic discipline in the country. Chants of 'Neeraj, Neeraj' reverberated. It was a goosebumps moment for those in the stands as he bowed to the fans and took a victory lap after winning the competition with a throw of 86.18m, outclassing some world class throwers. 2016 Olympics silver medallist Julius Yego (Kenya) registered his season best of 84.51m to finish second and Sri Lanka's Rumesh Pathirage was third with 84.34m. "I thoroughly enjoyed participating at home. So many people turned up and supported us. It was the first edition we were organising and I wasn't expecting so much crowd and support. I want to thank World Athletics for giving us a Gold level event and we have shown that we can conduct such tournaments with great success. I want to thank AFI and JSW, Karnataka government and sponsors, everyone came together to make it successful. We will bring more such competitions in India. "I know Bengaluru has great passion for sport and they showed it today. The competition is in my name, so I wanted to do well. There was a headwind, and the wind was changing direction. The first throw did not go well technically. My coach told me to throw straight and gave me some suggestions on my run-up and it helped. "It was mentally tough for me as all eyes were on me, and I was coming from participating in back-to-back tournaments. My family was watching me, so I was a bit nervous. I was not happy with my performance, but it was good under pressure." This is the first time since Chopra put Indian athletics on the world map with his Tokyo Olympics gold that the home crowd got to watch him compete in person against world's top javelin stars. It is India's first World Athletics A category event in track and field. Despite the tough conditions, Chopra gave the crowd a lot to cheer about. In his first throw Chopra slipped and tumbled on the line to register a no mark. His second attempt of 82.99 put him in command. His sizzling third throw of 86.18m was enough to seal the contest. Chopra was up on his feet after a trademark post release fall, arms aloft. He out a roar of joy as the result was flashed. It was the first time Chopra's family members saw him compete. "It is a proud moment for us," said his father Satish Kumar. "We've brought along many people from different districts and villages of Haryana. It's a great initiative and I hope it becomes bigger in the years to come." His grandfather Dharam Singh Chopra was also there to cheer him. Excitement was palpable for the event with fans queuing up outside the stadium three hours earlier, many wearing T-shirts with his name and picture. "We're very excited. This is a very different experience, watching a javelin competition live," said Purnima, an NGO worker who was there with friends. "I just love watching Neeraj on TV, it was great to see him here," said 13-year-old Samrat. There could not have been a better start to NC Classic. It drew fans to the stadium, sparked nationwide attention and culminated in a victory by the home favourite. One hopes it sets the stage for many more world-class athletics events in India....