India's Neeraj Chopra out for season with ankle injury

New Delhi: Two-time Olympic javelin medallist Neeraj Chopra announced on Saturday that he will miss the remainder of the 2026 athletics season due to an ankle injury. Chopra, 28, expressed his disappointment, stating he was nearing his rhythm when the setback occurred. The Indian athlete, regarded as the face of the sport in the world's largest populous country, secured silver at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in July and was set to defend his javelin throw title at the Asian Games 2026 in Japan's Aichi-Nagoya.

Following a period of hard work, Chopra felt he was gaining momentum with a season's best throw in Lausanne, Switzerland. However, an ankle ligament tear sustained during training prompted his decision to withdraw from the season. Chopra, who claimed Olympic gold in Tokyo in 2021 and silver in Paris in 2024, noted that setbacks are an inevitable part of any journey.

India's first Olympic track and field gold, won by Chopra in 2021, made him an overnight national icon.