India’s medal hopes for the 2026 Asian Games have suffered a major blow, as star javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra has announced his withdrawal from the entire 2026 season due to an injury. Consequently, he will not be able to participate in the Asian Games 2026, which are set to begin on September 19.
Neeraj Chopra sustained an injury to his ankle ligament during training. He confirmed this in a post on X on Friday, explaining that the injury occurred shortly after he had achieved his season-best throw at the Lausanne Diamond League. After consulting with his doctor and team, he decided not to compete in the remaining events of the 2026 season.
— Neeraj Chopra (@Neeraj_chopra1) August 29, 2026
Chopra wrote, “Unfortunately, shortly after the Lausanne Diamond League, I injured my ankle ligament during training. After consulting with my doctor and team, we have decided that I will not participate in the remainder of this season.”
Chopra added, “It is disappointing, especially because I felt I was close to finding my rhythm. But as they say, setbacks are part of the journey. My focus now is on recovering well and making an even stronger comeback.”
Chopra’s withdrawal from the season also means he will miss the Diamond League Final, for which he had already qualified.
Returned in June after an injury
It is worth noting that after a long layoff due to injury, Neeraj Chopra made his comeback at the Doha Diamond League in June, where he finished fourth with a throw of 85.69 meters. Subsequently, the Indian star won a silver medal at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games with a throw of 85.83 meters. Chopra’s last competition was the Diamond League event in Lausanne, where he recorded a throw of 88.05 meters—his best performance of the season.
Setback for India’s Asian Games Hopes
India’s hopes for the Asian Games have suffered a major setback due to the absence of the star javelin thrower. Chopra won gold medals in the last two editions and has consistently performed well in the sport since winning gold at the 2020 Olympics. The Asian Games are scheduled to be held in Japan from September 19 to October 4.
All eyes will now be on Rohit Yadav, who will be part of the men’s javelin throw lineup for the event. Yadav recently secured a victory at the World Athletics Silver Level Continental Tour event in Bhubaneswar, achieving a personal best throw of 87.68 meters.
