India's javelin champion Neeraj Chopra ends season early after ligament tear

Neeraj Chopra, the former Olympic champion and javelin thrower from India, has abruptly ended his 2026 season following a ligament tear sustained during training, he announced on Instagram. A 28-year-old, Chopra had previously won gold at the Tokyo Olympics and silver in Paris. Although he placed second in the Lausanne Diamond League with a throw of 88.05 meters, the injury forced him to sit out for an extended period, marking the second time in a year.

"After discussions with my doctor and team, we’ve decided that I will sit out the rest of this season," Chopra shared. "It's disappointing, especially because I felt close to finding my rhythm. But as they say, setbacks are a part of the journey." Chopra, who had been battling lower back discomfort since 2023, also aggravated a disc injury in September 2025 during training.

He underwent a nine-month rehabilitation period after the Tokyo World Championships in September 2025 before returning in June. He had qualified for the Diamond League finals scheduled for Brussels next month. Chopra had faced off against Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem in the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo last September, but their much-awaited match did not live up to expectations as Keshorn Walcott from Trinidad and Tobago emerged victorious in the sold-out Japan National Stadium.