Guwahati: Indian javelin star Neeraj Chopra will miss the remainder of the 2026 athletics season after suffering a ligament tear in his ankle during training. The injury will also rule him out of the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, where he was expected to defend his javelin title.
The 28-year-old athlete confirmed the setback on Thursday, shortly after producing a season-best throw of 88.05 metres to finish second at the Lausanne Diamond League.
Chopra said he had been building momentum before sustaining the injury. Following consultations with his medical team, he decided to end his season early and focus on rehabilitation and recovery.
The injury will also keep him out of the Diamond League Final in Brussels on September 5 and the World Athletics Ultimate Championships in Budapest on September 13.
A two-time Olympic medallist, Chopra won javelin gold at the 2018 Asian Games and successfully defended his title at the 2023 Hangzhou edition.
The latest setback comes after an injury-disrupted start to his 2026 campaign. Chopra said his priority now is to make a full recovery and return to competition stronger.