India's javelin superstar and two-time Olympic medallist Neeraj Chopra has admitted that his choice to push through a back injury at the previous year's World Championships was a mistake. Reflecting on his disappointing eighth-place finish at the Tokyo World Championships in September 2025, where he recorded a below-par throw of 84.03m, Chopra disclosed that he had been battling a lower back issue throughout the competition. The lingering injury required an extended recovery period, forcing him to postpone his return to action and sit out the early months of the current athletics calendar.
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Neeraj Chopra rues competing in Tokyo World Championships with injury
Now poised to make his long-awaited seasonal debut at the Doha Diamond League this Friday, the Olympic champion has offered a reassuring update on his condition. Confident that the injury woes are behind him, Chopra stated that he finally feels entirely fit and ready to compete at the highest level again. Despite the setback and the subsequent delay to his competitive year, his return in Doha marks a crucial step as he looks to regain his dominant form on the global stage.
“I don’t think it was a good decision to compete in Tokyo knowing that I was already carrying an injury. In athletes’ lives, if you try to save one injury, there is another one that can come up. But it was the last competition of the year, so I pushed for it,” Neeraj said at the presser.
The severe back injury, which he picked up during a grueling training session ahead of the World Championships, sidelined the star athlete for a grueling nine months. This extended recovery period marks his longest stretch away from the competitive arena since his historic, career-defining Olympic gold triumph in Tokyo back in 2021. Fortunately, his comeback trail begins in the deeply familiar setting of Doha, the very venue where he shattered the elusive 90-meter barrier for the first time last year, finally conquering a career milestone that had both motivated and escaped him for seasons.
All eyes on Neeraj Chopra vs Rumesh Pathirage at Doha Diamond League
The reigning champion faces a trial by fire in his return, navigating an incredibly stacked and formidable field. Headlining the competition is Sri Lanka’s rising star Rumesh Pathirage, the current world leader, alongside a masterclass lineup featuring former world champions Anderson Peters and Keshorn Walcott, Tokyo Olympic silver medalist Jakub Vadlejch, and the experienced Kenyan veteran Julius Yego. While acknowledging the fierce competition, the Indian spearhead remained characteristically grounded and measured when discussing the threat posed by the in-form Pathirage.
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Adding another layer of intrigue to this comeback is a brand-new guiding hand in his corner. Following the disappointment at the Tokyo World Championships, he parted ways with his former coach, the legendary three-time world champion Jan Železný. Instead, he has turned to Jay Chaudhary, a familiar mentor who has been part of his inner circle since the foundational days of his athletic career.
Hovering in the background of this competitive return is the Athletics Federation of India’s provisional nod for the 2026 Commonwealth Games, which requires him to clear a baseline qualification standard of 82.61 metres.