Neeraj Chopra settles for silver at CWG 2026: Key takeaways
What's the story
India's star javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra has expressed his desire to regain his rhythm in upcoming competitions. This comes after he settled for a silver medal at the 2026 Commonwealth Games (CWG) in Glasgow. In the men's javelin throw final, Chopra's best effort was a throw of 85.83m, which was not enough to secure him a gold medal. Sri Lankan athlete Rumesh Tharanga won gold with a best throw of 89.75m.
Recovery process
Chopra gradually getting back to his fitness
Chopra, who was competing after an injury layoff, said he is slowly getting back to his fitness.
"I can't say my fitness is back to what it used to be," he told reporters in Glasgow after the final. "I'm getting there gradually."
He had competed at the Doha Diamond League in June as his first competition back but admitted he wasn't fully prepared then.
Performance analysis
Best throw of the season for Chopra
Chopra's best throw in the qualification round on Thursday was a subpar 79.61m, by his standards.
He had said that the conditions were not favorable for javelin throwers due to unpredictable winds.
Despite these challenges, he managed to register a season-best effort of 85.83m in his second attempt during the final, which was slightly better than his fourth-place finish at Doha Diamond League with an 85.69m throw earlier this season.
Reflection
Cold weather affected my performance, says Chopra
Chopra said he could have thrown better but the cold weather affected his performance. He completed four good throws and two no throws in the final.
"I felt I could have thrown farther too, but the javelin wasn't holding its line," he said.
"I don't perform my best in the cold. I prefer warmer weather... Because I have Indian blood," added Chopra, a two-time Olympic medalist.
Upcoming events
Diamond League and Asian Games next for Chopra
Chopra will next compete in the European leg of the Diamond League later this month. After that, he will shift his focus to the Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan in September.
"Definitely, there's still room to improve. I wouldn't say I've improved a lot this season," he said.
"The aim now is to keep improving gradually in the next competition," added Chopra, who is a two-time Commonwealth Games medalist.