Journalism of Courage
Neeraj Chopra ruled out of 2026 Asian Games with season ending ankle ligament tear
The two-time Olympic medallist had shown promising signs of form at the Lausanne Diamond League, where he recorded a Season's Best throw. However, the injury has forced him to cut his campaign short.
FILE: Indian javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra in action. (PTI)
In a major setback for Indian athletics, star javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra has been ruled out of the rest of the season, including the Asian Games and the Diamond League Final, after sustaining a ligament tear in his ankle during training.
The two-time Olympic medallist had shown promising signs of form at the Lausanne Diamond League, where he recorded a Season’s Best throw. However, the injury has forced him to cut his campaign short.
“After a period of hard work, I finally felt I was gaining the momentum I had been looking for with a Season’s Best throw in Lausanne,” Chopra said in a statement. “Unfortunately, shortly after, I sustained a ligament tear in my ankle during training. After discussions with my doctor and team, we’ve decided that I will sit out the rest of this season.”
— Neeraj Chopra (@Neeraj_chopra1) August 29, 2026
The Lausanne Diamond League was Chopra’s third competitive outing of the 2026 season, following the Doha Diamond League and the Commonwealth Games. He made his comeback in Doha in June after a lengthy injury layoff, finishing fourth with a throw of 85.69m. He followed that up with a silver in Glasgow, where his best throw measured 85.83m.
The 28-year-old had a mixed 2026 season. While his Glasgow performance earned him a podium finish, he was upstaged by Sri Lanka’s Rumesh Pathirage, who won gold with a massive 89.75m throw. The Lausanne Diamond League was supposed to be a stepping stone towards the Asian Games, where Chopra was expected to lead India’s medal charge. Instead, it turned out to be his final competitive outing of the season.
“It’s disappointing, especially because I felt close to finding my rhythm,” he added. “But setbacks are a part of the journey. My focus now is on recovering well and coming back even stronger.”
Chopra’s absence will be a huge blow to India’s medal hopes at the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, which begin next month. He will also miss the Diamond League Final, where he was in contention to qualify after climbing to seventh in the standings.
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