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Diamond League Final 2024: Neeraj Chopra misses first spot by 0.01m

Neeraj Chopra finished second in the Diamond League 2024 final with a throw of 87.86m throw in Brussels, Belgium. He missed the top spot by just 0.01m

Sep 14, 2024, 8:02 PMβ€’2 min read

Diamond League Final 2024: Neeraj Chopra misses first spot by 0.01m

Neeraj Chopra finished second in the Diamond League 2024 final with a throw of 87.86m throw in Brussels, Belgium. He missed the top spot by just 0.01m. Anderson Peters won the Diamond League 2024 final with a 87.87m throw.

Read Also | Neeraj Chopra’s best throws: Here are all the top throws by javelin ace Neeraj Chopra 

Under a tough condition, Neeraj started the final with a 86.82m throw and the Indian fans awake hoped to see another throw close to 90m. But, in the second throw Neeraj could not get his body going and managed a 83.49m throw.

The third attempt was the best effort from the double time Olympic medalist and India's most successful track and field athlete. Neeraj's throw travelled 87.86, just 0.01m behind Anderson Peters' best throw of 87.87m.

In the fourth and fifth attempt Neeraj's attempts could not cross his best mark as he managed 82.04m and 83.30m throws respectively. In the last throw, Neeraj gave his all but could only manage 86.46m and finished runners-up in the Diamond League 2024 final.

Read Also | Every Neeraj Chopra records you should know 

Neeraj had won the 2022 Diamond League final and then finished second in the following seaon as well. However, with his groin injury still in place, it was quite evident that Neeraj was not at his best.

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Neeraj Chopra to compete at Ostrava Golden Spike 2025 athletics: Details

Neeraj Chopra will compete at the Ostrava Golden Spike 2025 athletics meet in Czechia, scheduled for June 24, the organisers confirmed on Tuesday.

May 7, 2025, 12:22 PMβ€’2 min read

Neeraj Chopra to compete at Ostrava Golden Spike 2025 athletics: Details

Indian Olympic and World Championships gold medalist javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra will complete at the Ostrava Golden Spike 2025 athletics meet to be held on June 24 at Czechia. This upcoming meet, which is also a World Athletics Continental Tour Gold label event, is the 64th edition of the Ostrava Golden Spike competition.

Also Read: List of athletes to participate in Neeraj Chopra Classic

Couldn't complete last year due to injury

Earlier, Neeraj Chopra pulled himself out of the Golden Spike in 2024 due to muscle injury. However, he attended that event as a special guest. The Tokyo 2020 Olympic champion will be hoping that the third time’s the charm.

Neeraj started 2025 season with gold

Neeraj Chopra kicked off his 2025 season with an impressive 84.52m throw at the Potchefstroom Invitational in South Africa. His performance secured the gold medal, topping a six-man field in what is a pivotal year for World Athletics. Chopra finished well ahead of 25-year-old South African javelin thrower Douw Smit, who recorded a best throw of 82.44m. 

The Indian athlete’s personal best and the Indian men’s javelin throw national record stands at 89.94m, achieved at the 2022 Stockholm Diamond League meet.

Neeraj to compete along with his new coach

Interestingly, the Golden Spike will see Neeraj compete in his new coach Jan Zelezny’s home turf. The Czech men’s javelin throw world record holder is also involved with organising the event.

β€œI am excited to announce that I will be competing at ZlatΓ‘ Tretra Ostrava this year. It’s a legendary meet and this edition will be extra special. My coach Jan Zelezny not only won there many times but is also the director of the event,” Neeraj Chopra said.

β€œI am feeling great and hope you will see some really nice and long throws. I look forward to meeting you all,” he added.

Also Read: Khelo India Youth Games 2025 Full Schedule

Neeraj opted out of the Asian Athletics Championships

Before heading to Ostrava, Neeraj Chopra will be seen in action at the Doha Diamond League on May 16 and the inaugural Neeraj Chopra Classic in Bengaluru on May 24.

The Indian athlete has already opted out of the Asian Athletics Championships, which will be held in Gumi, the Republic of Korea, from May 27 to 31.

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List of athletes to participate in Neeraj Chopra Classic

Inspired by Mondo Classic, named after pole vaulter Armand "Mondo" Duplantis, the Neeraj Chopra Classic has got an 'A’ category or Continental Tour Gold-level tag by the World Athletics.

May 3, 2025, 2:47 PMβ€’2 min read

List of athletes to participate in Neeraj Chopra Classic

The Neeraj Chopra Classic competition is increasing interest with each passing day, as the competition will be held on May 24. Some of the world’s best athletes in javelin throw will take part in the event. 

The Neeraj Chopra Classic is co-organised by Neeraj Chopra, JSW Sports, the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) and World Athletics (WA). It is classified as a WA β€˜A’ category or Continental Tour Gold-level meet, and will be the highest-tier international athletics event ever hosted in India to date.

Also Read: Khelo India Youth Games 2025 Full Schedule

Neeraj Chopra, the Tokyo 2020 gold medallist and reigning world champion, is expected to headline the meet named in his honour. Several big names in the sport are also set to take part in the event at the Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru.

International contenders of Neeraj Chopra Classic 

Two-time world champion Anderson Peters of Grenada, Rio 2016 Olympic gold medallist Thomas Rohler of Germany, and Kenya’s Julius Yego – the 2015 world champion and Rio 2016 silver medallist – are among the top international contenders in the list. 

The line-up also includes Pan American Games champion Curtis Thompson of the USA who is the current world leader. Japan’s Genki Dean, Brazil’s Luiz Mauricio da Silva and Sri Lanka’s Rumesh Pathirage are the other stars on the list.

However, Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem, the reigning Olympic champion, will be missing from the event. While he was invited, he opted out of the competition to focus on the upcoming Asian Athletics Championships in the Republic of Korea.

Indian contenders of Neeraj Chopra Classic

Sachin Yadav, Rohit Yadav, and Sahil Silwal will be the Indian javelin throwers participating in thetournament. Meanwhile, Asian Games silver medallist and Olympian, Kishore Jena became the latest addition to the Indian line-up.

List of Athletes of Neeraj Chopra Classic

  • Neeraj Chopra (India)
  • Anderson Peters (Grenada)
  • Thomas Rohler (Germany)
  • Julius Yego (Kenya)
  • Curtis Thompson (USA)
  • Genki Dean (Japan)
  • Luiz Mauricio da Silva (Brazil)
  • Rumesh Pathirage (Sri Lanka)
  • Sachin Yadav (India)
  • Rohit Yadav (India)
  • Sahil Silwal (India)
  • Kishore Jena (India)
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Three-time Olympic champion and WR holder Jan Zelezny becomes Neeraj Chopra's new coach

Jan Zelezny, a three-time Olympic and world champion and current world record holder, has long been Chopra's idol. Actually, Neeraj Chopra was working with German coach Klaus Bartonietz till now, but Klaus has recently retired from coaching.

Nov 9, 2024, 10:44 AMβ€’3 min read

Three-time Olympic champion and WR holder Jan Zelezny becomes Neeraj Chopra's new coach

Two-time Olympic medalist Neeraj Chopra has announced the beginning of an exciting new chapter in his career. Neeraj on Saturday announced the appointment of great javelin thrower Jan Zelezny as his new coach.

Also Read: NEERAJ CHOPRA INJURY: A SAGA OF STRAIN, TECHNIQUE, AND RECOVERY

Jan Zelezny, a three-time Olympic and world champion and current world record holder, has long been Chopra's idol. Actually, Neeraj Chopra was working with German coach Klaus Bartonietz till now, but Klaus has recently retired from coaching.

Announcing the new coach, Neeraj said, β€œGrowing up, I admired Jan’s technique and precision and spent a lot of time watching videos of him. He was the best in the sport for so many years, and I believe that working with him will be invaluable because our throwing styles are similar, and his knowledge is unmatched. It’s an honour to have Jan by my side as I push towards the next level in my career, and I can’t wait to get started,” 

Chopra didn't breach 90m mark

Chopra, 26, won a historic gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics and silver at the Paris Olympics 2024, as well as two world championships medals, silver at the 2022 Eugene edition and gold at the 2023 Budapest. However, over the past few years, Chopra has expressed his desire to breach the 90m mark. His alliance with Bartonietz after Paris, where Chopra again failed to hit the 90m mark while Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem won gold with an Olympic record 92.97m.

Also Read: Neeraj Chopra’s best throws: Here are all the top throws by javelin ace Neeraj Chopra

Under Zelezny's guidance, Neeraj will try to take his success to a different level. On this occasion, Jan Zelezny said, β€œI have already spoken about Neeraj as a great talent many years ago. When I saw him early in his career, I realised great possibilities for top results. I also said that if I should start to coach somebody from outside Czechia, my first choice would be Neeraj. I like his story and I see big potential, as he is young and able to improve."

Zelezny broke WR on four occasions

Jan Zelezny, a gold medalist at the 1992, 1996, and 2000 Olympic Games, has five of the top ten best throws of all time. In 1996, he set a world record in Germany with a throw of 98.48m. He broke the world record on four occasions.

When Chopra won gold at the Tokyo 2020, Zelezny was the coach of both other medalists Jakub Vadlejch (silver) and VΓ­tΔ›zslav VeselΓ½ (bronze).. He has also coached two-time Olympic champion and three-time world champion Barbora Ε potΓ‘kovΓ‘.

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NEERAJ CHOPRA INJURY: A SAGA OF STRAIN, TECHNIQUE, AND RECOVERY

Neeraj Chopra had his previous groin injury, and has now fractured his hand while practicing, at the Brussels. He took his social media accounts to inform that the Diamond League will be last competition for the year.

Oct 26, 2024, 3:16 PMβ€’5 min read

Neeraj Chopra succumbed to hand injury during practice, at the Brussels Diamond League

The art of javelin throw is a perfect balance of both technique and power. And Neeraj Chopra, who relies mostly on technique, is struggling due to his recurring groin injury With a jam-packed schedule since the last year, he "ignored" the pain, for the sake of participation. However, with a clear window till mid-2025, it is high time for the 2024 Paris Olympics Silver medallist to undergo the required treatment. Additionally, he fractured his hand while practising, during the Brussels Diamond League, thus calling off, for this year, at least.

The Groin Injury: An Unseen Strain Troubling Neeraj Chopra

In 2018, Neeraj Chopra got an inury in his erector muscles which was healed. However, it has resurfaced since last year, at Bhubaneshwar, at the middle of June.

Chopra's physio Ishan Marwah, has been monitoring him closely. he explained the injury in Layman terms- the erector muscles are directly connected to the pelvic bones. Thus the injury is giving strain to the muscles, hampering his normal run up, followed by this throw.

In the most ideal situation, Neeraj would like to increase the speed of his run- up. This needs quicker movement of his right leg and hips. However, the strain is preventing him from doing so, leading to a compromised throwing technique. His block leg, i.e., the left leg, is crucial for delivering power in the final phase of the throw. But with the injury lingering, he’s unable to fully complete that movement. What looks like his signature fall after each throw, is nothing but a visual representation of his technical failures.

Neeraj Chopra foul throw at Paris- sportzpoint.com
Neeraj Chopra crashed on the grown while completeing his first throw, which was a foul, at Paris Olympics
Photo Courtesy: Olympics 

Technical Hurdles: The Cascade Effect

As mentioned earlier, javelin is a highly technical sport. The body needs to be in motion and in absolute sync. Neeraj Chopra suffering from groin injury has led to a cascading effect on his entire throwing mechanism. As Ishan explained to multiple sources, his right leg is not performing in the required way. Thus, Chopra falls more on his left, bending it slightly, which is, ideally not good for a powerful throw.

The rule books say, the perfect projectile will get the spear fall centrally or slightly to the right. However, in Chopra’s case, the javelin is turning to the left due to him falling leftward at the end of his throw. This is the major flaw he is having due to the injury.

In the last few outings, Chopra hasn’t been in his signature best form. He has an initial season best in the Olympics Qualifier itself with an impressive throw of at 89.34. He sealed the Olympics silver with 89.49 meters in the finals.

Neeraj Chopra Silver medal throw at Paris- sportzpoint.com
Neeraj Chopra sealed the silver medal at Paris Olympics with his season best throw of 89.49 meters 

However, his signature "roar" was vividly missing.

Read also: Neeraj Chopra’s best throws: Here are all the top throws by javelin ace Neeraj Chopra

The Chicken and Egg Situation: Neeraj Chopra Sandwiched between Injury and Technique

The groin injury has got Neeraj Chopra in a vicious cycle. The injury is hampering his daily practice routine. As per Marwah, Neeraj earlier has to have 2 to 3 sessions of practice each week. Each session has 35 to 40 throws. With the injury becoming a growing concern, Neeraj had to reduce the no of sessions, each having around 20 throws. Lack of practice is affecting his technique, which is directly causing more strain. Again, Ishan clarified that adequate training is the way to cure the strain. 

Neeraj, Unlike Arshad Nadeem or the Germans, has depended more on technique and not power. He has his shoulder flexibility as his biggest pros, but with the injury in the scene, things got hampered.

Neeraj Chopra in Olympics- sportzpoint.com
Graphical representation of Neeraj Chopra's winning throw in Tokyo (up) and in Paris (down)
Photo Courtesy: Olympics 

However, Marwah is optimistic, hoping that proper medical advice and rehabilitation will fully recover Chopra. The latter is having the right shape, and with proper rehabilitation, he can aim to add an extra 3 to 4 meters to his throw. However, that requires adequate rest, and avoiding risks, which calls for skipping certain competitions.

Neeraj Chopra signs off for 2024, with hand injury

Soon after the Brussels Diamond League, Neeraj Chopra took to his social media handle to inform about his hand injury. He informed, that he had fractured the fourth metacarpal in his left hand during practice. He thus, is calling off his professional participation, for this year. Despite this, Chopra sealed a second position, that too by missing the 24-carat Diamond, by just a centimetre (87.86 m).

What the future calls

A gold in the Tokyo Olympics has raised the expectations bar to such a level, that whiskers feel like major losses. The present air is more concerned about him touching the magic 90 m Mark, more than him recovering. 

With the groin injury being a major issue, the fracture has gotten Neeraj Chopra an β€œadded advantage” to pull off the curtain for now. As the javelin world awaits to see what comes next for him, one thing is certain: his determination, resilience, and unmatched focus will continue to push him forward. At days, it should be recovery, more than crossing 90 meters on the court.

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Commonwealth Games 2026: A trailer for permanent shut down?

The Commonwealth Games 2026 faces rejections from Victoria, Australia, and Malaysia due to overwhelming costs, with Glasgow grabbing the opportunity, reducing it to a 10-discipline event.

Oct 24, 2024, 8:43 AMβ€’6 min read

Commonwealth Games 2026: A trailer for permanent shut down?

On Tuesday, the organizers of the Glasgow Commonwealth Games 2026 confirmed that only 10 sports will be played in limited venues to keep the finances in check. 

A previously proposed event, that had a minimum of 20 disciplines was reduced to half, which has sparked disappointments amongst many Indians. The reason is quite simple. The Indian-dominated sports like badminton, hockey, cricket, and weightlifting have been axed. 

Not only that, a sport like squash, which gets major highlights in the CWG due to its absence in the Olympics, has been eliminated.

The IOA (Indian Olympics Association) president, PT Usha, too expressed her despondency towards the decision. But, why? 

The point is, how relevant are "Commonwealth Games," previously known as "British Empire Games," in a decolonized era?

The Idea behind Commonwealth Games

CWG1930-sportzpoint.com
Photo courtesy- Getty Images

A brainchild of revered Canadian sportswriter and editor Melville Marks Robinson, the Commonwealth Games had its origin in 1930, bearing an essence of still-accepted colonialism. A total of 54 countries, who were once colonies of the British Empire, participated in this event.

The 2022 version, however, saw 72 nations participating.

Inspired by the 1911 Inter Empire Championships, this unique event has been hosted across nine countries. Australia and Canada lead with five editions each

Standing in 2024, when the phrase "third-world country" seems nonexistent, who would ever succumb to the pre-established boot-licking attitude toward the English, that too spending some billion dollars for hosting?

Finance definitely raises eyebrows, but the motto it has been carrying for so long should come into question, even in countries like India.

U-turn from Australia to Glasgow

Gold Coast-sportzpoint.com
Opening Ceremony in the Gold Coast CWG, 2018

Australia, a country that has hosted the event at least five times, has denied hosting it. Initially, it was Victoria's assignment to conduct the event. However, the arrangement costs skyrocketed from an estimated Aus$2 billion to an alarming Aus$7 billion.

Premier Daniel Andrews, in the press conference in Melbourne, clearly stated that he would never dare to pluck in a huge sum from the funds of hospitals and schools for a sporting event. 

The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) scrambled to find a replacement, offering Malaysia Β£100 million to step in. Even with such a hefty financial contribution, Malaysia turned down the offer, citing insufficient preparation time and the prohibitive costs of hosting the event.

Even Canada's Alberta province last year withdrew its support for a bid for the 2030 Games.

Financial Suffering

The rejections have somehow brought in a raw, uncut picture to the world. The sentiments, accompanied by the suffering, take a long time to recover.

Countries are unwilling to foot the massive bill for an event, even when provided with financial assistance. The event brings in little to no economic return and dwindling global interest.

The Commonwealth Games, which seemed like a prestigious event, has been a burden β€” a relic of the past whose significance is diminishing in a world with far more pressing priorities.

Glasgow steps in

Glasgow-sportzpoint.com
Opening Ceremony in 2014 CWG

Following the repeated rejections, there was a point when the Commonwealth Games future looked uncertain for the 2026 version. Countries backing out brought clouds of a postponed tournament before its centenary year in 2030.

At that point, Glasgow stepped in. Glasgow had its experience of hosting a CWG, as it did in 2014. This time, it made the event easy.

Glasgow decided to host a severely pared-down version of the CWG in 2026, with 4 venues in an 8-mile radius. Not only that, the number of participants will also be restricted.

Birmingham's Commonwealth Games: A Legacy of Financial Strain?

Birmingham-sportzpoint.com

Birmingham stepped up to host the 2022 Commonwealth Games when Durban withdrew, promising a grand event to boost the city. However, financial issues soon arose, leading to political tension and public concern.

Max Caller, former adviser to Birmingham City Council, called the decision to host the Games "a mistake" amidst longstanding financial problems. Hosting the event diverted attention from the council’s critical issues, including a Β£760 million bill for equal pay claims and a botched IT system that may cost Β£100 million to fix.

While the Games were an "amazing event," their financial aftermath sparked debates, with citizens worried about budget cuts affecting essential services. Community centres, libraries, and even the famed German Christmas Market could face closures as the council struggles with bankruptcy.

But is finance the real concern?

CWG-sportzpoint.com

India had hosted the 2010 CWG, followed by financial turmoil in the country. It took years for the country to overcome. India has now successfully bid for the Olympics 2036. 

Hosting the Olympics has also led to never-ending financial scars for many countries. Athens is a prominent name in that. 

But yet, countries hardly step back to host it. Is it really the finances or the pride that pushes them to bid for the Olympics?

Will India suffer from the reduction?

Birminghum opening ceremony-sportzpoint.com
Manpreet Singh and PV Sindhuβ€”flagbearers for the Indian contingent at the 2022 CWG

In the idealistic world of sport, India shouldn't. In such a situation, the question comes: how relevant is CWG to the sporting world? 

With the rising popularity of the Asian Games that have dominated countries like China and the Olympics, which is the oldest and largest form of multidisciplinary sports event, CWG falls short in both glamour and relevance.

The limited exposure giving year-old consolation to the country with an "international medal" has been falling short repeatedly in the Olympics. The count of CWG medalist athletes who have earned a medal in the Olympics is relatively low. A Mirabai Chanu, a PV Sindhu, or a Neeraj Chopra is countable. 

When at one corner, it is justified to be upset knowing that Indian dominance has been restricted, then at the other corner, another question gets tossedβ€”why does India need going-to-be-abolished events to prove its excellence? 

India, which takes pride in being a sporting excellence and a country that tried to push cricket hard in the Olympics, should think if it's really dominant or not.

Does Commonwealth participation assure greatness?

Usain Bolt-sportzpoint.com

Usain Bolt, at his peak point in his career, decided to participate only in the 4x100m relay in Glasgow (2014). Not only that, he was nowhere in New Delhi (2010) too, despite India's desperate request to have him.

Sir Chris Hoy, too, stayed away from the Delhi games because a win wouldn't have added any decorated feather to his already stellar career.

In the harshest reality, a hundred medals won't assure at least 50 medals in the Asian Games itself. Olympics are out of reach!

Medal tally for India in CWG, in its popular sport

Event Medal
Hockey 1 gold, 4 silvers, 1 bronze
Shooting 63 golds, 44 silver, and 28 bronze
Badminton 10 gold, 8 silver, and 13 bronze
Wrestling 49 gold, 39 silver, and 26 bronze

 

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