New Delhi [India], August 29 (ANI): Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra has ended his 2026 season early after sustaining a ligament tear in his ankle throughout coaching, ruling him out of the upcoming Asian Games.
Chopra, who had lately regained momentum with a season’s greatest throw in Lausanne, stated he took the choice to sit down out the rest of the season after discussions together with his physician and staff.
‘After a interval of laborious work, I lastly felt I used to be gaining the momentum I had been in search of with a Season’s Best throw in Lausanne. Unfortunately, shortly after, I sustained a ligament tear in my ankle throughout coaching. After discussions with my physician and staff, we have determined that I’ll sit out the remainder of this season,’ Chopra posted on Instagram.
The ace javelin thrower expressed disappointment on the setback however stated his focus would now be on recovering absolutely and returning stronger.
‘It’s disappointing, particularly as a result of I felt near discovering my rhythm. But as they are saying, setbacks are part of the journey. My focus now could be on recovering effectively and coming again even stronger. Thank you all for the love and assist,’ he added.
Chopra completed second on the Lausanne Diamond League with a season-best throw of 88.05m, lacking out on the highest spot by simply 9 centimetres. Sri Lanka’s Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage continued his spectacular 2026 marketing campaign, profitable the occasion with an 88.14m effort.
Before Lausanne, Chopra had competed in simply two occasions in 2026 — ending fourth on the Doha Diamond League and second on the Commonwealth Games — with out crossing the 86m mark in both competitors.
Chopra’s withdrawal comes after he seemed to be discovering his type following a difficult interval. His absence shall be a significant setback for India’s athletics contingent on the Asian Games.
The Olympic champion has been certainly one of India’s greatest sporting stars lately, having gained Olympic gold on the Tokyo Games in 2021 and a silver medal on the Paris Olympics in 2024. (ANI)