A year ago at the Paris Olympics, Neeraj Chopra sounded despondent despite winning a silver medal. He had felt that he was capable of sending the javelin farther, but his body wasn’t co-operating.
The problem then was his groin. But in the off-season and leading up to 2025, Neeraj worked hard to get his body right, and spoke earlier this year about how it was good to finally feel fully fit again. But on Thursday in Tokyo, after an unexpected 8th-placed finish at the World Athletics Championships, he revealed that he had been bothered by his back in the lead-up to the marquee event.
“Two weeks ago, I had some back issues but didn’t want to tell anyone,” he was quoted as saying by World Athletics.
It marked the end of a run of more than seven years since he last finished outside the top three at an event.
“I don’t understand what happened today. This has not happened for a long time,” Neeraj said after registering a best throw of 84.03m. “I had some problems before coming to Tokyo. Two weeks ago, I had some back issues but didn’t want to tell anyone. I was thinking I would still manage to get through it. But javelin is really tough. If you are not in good shape, you’re out. It’s OK. I will learn from today.”
Looking ahead, the double Olympic medallist said: “Maybe, I need more training or to improve my technique. Maybe, I just need more time for training.”
This is not the first time Neeraj has expressed disappointment at his body letting him down on a big stage.
“I am pushing myself right now despite the current state of my body,” Neeraj had said in Paris, sounding somewhat similarly puzzled despite finishing with a silver. “I haven’t been able to throw from the full runway. Maximum (most) athletes will have 40-50 throws in one session. Mera kya pata (I don’t know), maybe in two or three weeks, I’ll have one session. I have the fear of getting injured.”
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On Wednesday, Neeraj didn’t look all that pleased after his first and only throw, but it was still good enough to get an automatic qualification spot in the final. The Indian star said it wasn’t a problem to compete two days in a row.
Now, Neeraj would have to dig deeper as he looks to recover from the most significant disappointment he has faced in his international career in a long time.
“It’s life, it’s sport. I have to accept it and move on. Competing two days in a row was not a problem. It was OK because I qualified yesterday with my first throw. It was not too far but I was thinking it was still good, and that I could throw further today. I will go back to my room, watch the competition and check my throws. I will work on it,” Neeraj added on Thursday.
Unfamiliar situation
He appeared visibly frustrated after most of his throws, and after slipping and fouling his fifth and final attempt, took off his back brace in frustration and covered his face with it, before walking over to his team in the stands, shaking his head. It wasn’t lost on his fellow athletes too. Silver medallist, and one of Neeraj’s mates on tour, Anderson Peters said later: “Unfortunately, Neeraj was not in form today, but that’s javelin. You have to bring your A game all the time.”
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Peters, meanwhile, produced another stirring display at a major event, with the two-time former World Champion adding an impressive silver.
“I could not have asked for a better competition. The distances were pretty close. The guys were hitting it today,” he said. “My qualifying mark of 89.00m could have given me the gold, but I will try not to dwell too much on it. I tried harder than I did yesterday, but my run-up was a bit messy today. I couldn’t find the rhythm. If I did, I would have thrown better tonight. It’s been a long season. I will take two weeks off and start preparing for next year.”
The night belonged to Keshorn Walcott, who stunned the field to win his first major title since winning gold at the 2012 London Olympics.
“I have been waiting for this medal for 13 years. The Olympic victory at the age of 19 was incredible. I could never beat it. But every world championship, I hoped I was ready. I have been fighting for this but I was always off the podium. I even thought that the championships were not my competition. But I never gave up. If I had, I would not be here,” the athlete from the Caribbean said.
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“Maybe some changes I made last year paid off. To change my coach was the best decision I have made recently,” he said, referring to Neeraj’s former coach Klaus Bartonietz, who is now working with the Trinidad & Tobago athlete.
