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Neeraj Chopra has been forced to end his 2026 campaign prematurely after suffering a ligament tear in his ankle during training. The two-time Olympic medallist confirmed the setback in a statement on Saturday, saying the injury occurred shortly after he recorded a season-best throw of 88.05 metres at the Lausanne Diamond League.
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Following discussions with his doctors and support team, Chopra decided to sit out the remainder of the season to prioritise recovery. The timing is particularly unfortunate just ahead of important events lined up.
Neeraj Chopra announces heartbreaking injury update; out of Diamond League, Asian Games
Chopra had recently qualified for the Diamond League Final in Brussels and was also scheduled to compete at the World Athletics Ultimate Championship and the Asian Games in Japan later in September.
In his statement, Chopra expressed disappointment at losing the momentum he had begun to regain after a lengthy recovery from previous injuries earlier in the year. He took to his X (formerly Twitter account to announce the setback and wrote:
“It’s disappointing, especially because I felt close to finding my rhythm. But as they say, setbacks are a part of the journey.”
The Indian javelin star added:
“My focus now is on recovering well and coming back even stronger.”
Fans and the Indian athletics community have wished the Olympic champion a speedy recovery as he begins rehabilitation. It's very upsetting news while the player and the fans were eagerly waiting for him in the upcoming event.
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