New Delhi (Gurpreet Singh)— India’s two-time Olympic medallist Neeraj Chopra announced on Saturday that he has ended his 2026 competitive season prematurely after suffering an ankle ligament tear during training. The unexpected setback rules the premier javelin thrower out of the upcoming Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, as well as the season-ending Diamond League Final in Brussels, for which he had already qualified.
The injury struck at a particularly frustrating juncture for Chopra, coming shortly after he delivered an encouraging season-best performance in Switzerland. In a statement shared across his social media platforms, the 28-year-old athlete explained that after extensive hard work, he felt he was finally finding his rhythm and gaining competitive momentum at the Lausanne Diamond League. However, following the training injury, he consulted his medical team and support staff and collectively decided against taking any further competitive risks on the field this year.
Chopra expressed his disappointment at having to withdraw just as his form was peaking, though he noted that physical setbacks remain an inevitable part of high-performance athletics. Emphasizing that his immediate priority is comprehensive rehabilitation, the Olympic champion affirmed that his focus has now shifted toward recovering fully so that he can return to international competition stronger and fully fit.
His absence presents a major blow to India’s track and field prospects at the continental level, where Chopra was widely expected to lead the contingent and defend his javelin crown. The withdrawal marks a premature close to a campaign that saw him battle through recovery to claim a podium finish in Glasgow before putting up an 88.05-metre effort in Lausanne.
