Neeraj Chopra, the Olympic gold-medalist javelin thrower, will be absent from the Ostrava Golden Spike 2024 athletics meet in the Czech Republic on May 28. He suffered a muscle injury during training two weeks ago, as confirmed by the event organisers.
Chopra, despite his recent participation in the Doha Diamond League and the Federation Cup this season, will attend the meet as a guest, reflecting his continued involvement in the athletic community.
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Neeraj Chopra's Achievements and Injury Update
Commencing his 2024 season with remarkable performances, Chopra secured a silver medal at the Doha Diamond League on May 10. He also got gold at the Federation Cup on May 15 after almost three years of absence from domestic competitions.
However, Chopra's aspirations to defend his Tokyo Olympics gold at the Paris Olympics face a setback with his withdrawal from the Ostrava meet due to the adductor muscle injury sustained during training.
Who will replace Neeraj Chopra?
The organisers acknowledged Chopra's absence and confirmed that European champion Julian Weber of Germany would replace him in the competition. Weber's impressive performance of 88.37 meters makes him a fitting substitute, maintaining the event's competitive standards.
What did Neeraj Chopra say?
Chopra expressed disappointment over missing the Ostrava meet and highlighted precautionary measures to avoid exacerbating his injury. He assured his supporters that he is not currently injured.
“Hello everyone! Following a recent throwing session, I decided not to compete in Ostrava as I felt something in my adductor. I have had problems with it in the past and pushing it at this stage can lead to injury. Just to clarify I am not injured but I don’t want to take any risk during the Olympic year so had to take this decision. Once I feel it’s fully recovered, I will get back to competitions. Thank you for your support.,” Neeraj clarified via Instagram story.
With his focus on recovery and preparations for the upcoming Olympic year, Chopra remains optimistic about returning to competitions once fully healed.
