Neeraj Chopra ends 2026 season after injury

Neeraj Chopra ends 2026 season after injury

Former Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra has brought his 2026 season to an early end after suffering a ligament tear during training.

The 28-year-old Indian javelin thrower confirmed the decision in an Instagram post on Saturday, saying he made it after consulting his doctor and support team.

Chopra finished runner-up at last week’s Lausanne Diamond League meet with an 88.05-metre throw. However, he sustained the injury shortly afterwards and now faces another lengthy spell away from competition.

“After discussions with my doctor and team, we’ve decided that I will sit out the rest of this season,” Chopra said.

He admitted that the setback came at a frustrating time, as he felt he was beginning to regain his form. “It’s disappointing, especially because I felt close to finding my rhythm,” he added.

Chopra has struggled with lower-back problems since 2023. He aggravated a disc injury during training in September 2025 and subsequently spent around nine months undergoing rehabilitation following the World Championships in Tokyo. He returned to competition in June this year.

The injury also rules him out of the Diamond League final in Brussels next month, for which he had already qualified.

“My focus now is on recovering well and coming back even stronger,” Chopra said.

Chopra won Olympic gold at Tokyo 2020 and secured silver at the Paris 2024 Games. He also faced Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem, the Paris Olympic champion, at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo last September.