India's Neeraj Chopra out for season with ankle injury

New Delhi: Two-time Olympic javelin medallist Neeraj Chopra is set to miss the remainder of the 2026 athletics season due to an ankle injury, the 28-year-old announced on Saturday. Chopra, India's poster boy for the sport, expressed disappointment following his silver medal finish at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow earlier this year, stating, "It's disappointing, especially because I felt close to finding my rhythm."

However, he acknowledged that setbacks are a natural part of the journey. The javelin thrower, who took gold at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 and silver in Paris in 2024, had been preparing to defend his title at the Asian Games 2026 in Japan. "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 (Switzerland)," Chopra shared on social media.

"Unfortunately, shortly after, I sustained a ligament tear in my ankle during training," he added. After consultations with his medical team, it was decided that Chopra would take a break from competition for the remainder of the season.