Two-time Olympic medalist and former world champion javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra expressed happiness with his comeback performance at the Doha Diamond League, despite a fourth-place finish. Competing for the first time in nine months after an injury layoff, he achieved a best throw of 85.69 metres, his first time crossing the 85-metre mark since his return.
Comeback after nine months
Neeraj made his competitive return at the Doha Diamond League on June 19, 2026, following a nine-month absence due to injury. His last competition was the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo in September 2025, where he finished eighth with a throw of 84.03 metres and was outperformed by compatriot Sachin Yadav, who placed fourth. The Doha meet marked Neeraj's first event under the guidance of coach Jan Zelezny since his injury.
Neeraj's reaction to the performance
Speaking about his comeback, Neeraj said, "Definitely, I have returned after a long time now, and it has been a return with a very good throw. And I was just saying that, being realistic, you cannot always maintain that same level of performance. I am quite happy that I achieved over 85 meters in the very first competition after so long." He also revealed that the decision to compete in Doha was made just a week prior, and his name was initially not on the competitors' list.
Optimism for future competitions
Neeraj expressed optimism that further refinement of his technique would lead to better performances later in the year. He said, "Still, it went quite well, and that is it, for the future now... this is just the start. There are competitions ahead, the Commonwealth Games, the Asian Games at the end of the year, and Diamond Leagues in between. So we hope that by then we will refine our technique further and the performance will be even better."
Honoured at AFI awards
Earlier on June 20, Neeraj was honoured with the 'Best Male Athlete of the Year 2025' award at the inaugural Athletics Federation of India (AFI) awards in New Delhi. This recognition came despite his eighth-place finish at the World Championships, highlighting his overall achievements in the season.
Previous season highlights
Last season, Neeraj enjoyed a stellar run. He started with a win at the Potch Invitational in Potchefstroom, South Africa, in April 2025, followed by a second-place finish at the Doha Diamond League in May, where he crossed the 90-metre mark for the first time with a throw of 90.23 m. He then secured second place at the Janusz Kusocinski Memorial in Poland, and won back-to-back titles at the Paris Diamond League (88.16 m) and Ostrava Golden Spike (85.29 m). In August, he finished second at the Diamond League final in Zurich with a throw of 85.01 m. He also won the inaugural Neeraj Chopra Classic in Bengaluru in July with a throw of 86.18 m.
Looking ahead
With the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games scheduled for later in 2026, Neeraj aims to build on his comeback performance. His 85.69m throw in Doha, though not a podium finish, signals a positive return to form as he works towards regaining peak performance.
