Neeraj Chopra pulls out of Commonwealth Games 2022 due to injury
Neeraj Chopra, the Commonwealth Games defending champion in the javelin throw event, injured his groin at the World Athletics Championships in Oregon on Saturday.
India’s javelin throw ace Neeraj Chopra pulled out of the Commonwealth Games 2022 in Birmingham, UK after failing to recover from a groin injury he suffered during the World Athletics Championships on Saturday.
Neeraj Chopra, who clinched India’s first silver medal at the world athletics championships, had pulled his right thigh muscle during his 88.13m throw that won him a podium finish. He underwent an MRI scan on Monday and was advised a month’s rest.
The Olympic champion was initially expected to recover before the Commonwealth Games starting on Thursday but failed. Neeraj Chopra was left “extremely disappointed” as a result.
“I had been feeling uncomfortable after the pull I felt in my groin during my fourth throw at the world championships,” Neeraj Chopra said in a statement posted on social media. “On having it investigated medically yesterday by a group of doctors here in the US, a minor strain was discovered and I have been advised to undergo rehabilitation and give it rest for the next few weeks.
“Keeping my long-term goals in mind, it would be best for me to skip the CWG in order to avoid risking any further aggravation of the injury,” Neeraj added.
Neeraj Chopra became only the second Indian after Anju Bobby George to win a medal at the world athletics championships. Chopra was the defending champion at the Commonwealth Games.
Neeraj Chopra, who won India’s first Olympic gold medal in athletics in August last year, has broken the national record twice in three competitions this year.
The 24-year-old threw a personal best of 89.94m at the Stockholm Diamond League to rewrite the national record Chopra set at the Paavo Nurmi Games in Finland in his season-opener last month.
The defending javelin throw champion at the Commonwealth Games, Neeraj Chopra was expected to go up against two-time world champion Anderson Peters of Grenada in Birmingham. Peters won the bronze medal in the last edition at Gold Coast 2018.
“Needless to say, I am hurt about not being able to defend my title and missing out on another opportunity to represent the nation,” Neeraj said. “I am especially disappointed about losing out on the opportunity to be Team India's flag bearer at the opening ceremony, an honour I was looking forward to having in a few day's time.
“For now, I will focus on my rehabilitation and hope to be back in action very soon,” the Indian javelin ace added.
Rohit Yadav, who finished 10th at the world championships, and DP Manu will represent India in the men’s javelin throw event at the Commonwealth Games in UK.
The men’s javelin throw qualifying rounds in Birmingham are scheduled on August 5 while the final is on August 7, the same date when Neeraj Chopra won the gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics last year.