Neeraj Chopra's Return Date Confirmed, Set To Compete At..

Published 15 June 2026 · india

Neeraj Chopra's Return Date Confirmed, Set To Compete At... Published By, Last Updated: June 15, 2026, 15:48 IST Neeraj Chopra will return to competition at

Neeraj Chopra's Return Date Confirmed, Set To Compete At... Published By, Last Updated: June 15, 2026, 15:48 IST Neeraj Chopra will return to competition at the Doha Diamond League on June 19, ending a nine month injury layoff and easing concerns over his long term fitness. India's athlete Neeraj Chopra arrives for the men's javelin throw Group A qualification during the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo on September 17, 2025. (Photo by Kirill KUDRYAVTSEV / AFP) Neeraj Chopra is set to make his competitive return at the upcoming Doha Diamond League on June 19. It’ll mark a highly anticipated comeback for the double Olympic champion after almost nine months of injury-related layoff, while also putting to rest the concerns around his long-term fitness.

Chopra hasn’t made an appearance since the World Athletics Championship in Tokyo in September last year, where he finished eighth. He flared up a back issue during the competition, which ruled him out of multiple events in the next few months, and led to fears that the Doha event would be one of them. The positive development comes a day after Neeraj was conditionally named in India’s athletics squad for the 2026 Commonwealth Games, which will run from July to August. His participation is contingent on him clearing the Athletics Federation of India benchmark of 82.61m. “Neeraj has requested that he participate in a couple of competitions before the Commonwealth Games. If he achieves his qualifying standard, he has also requested to be selected.

Neeraj would participate in a couple of international meets before the Commonwealth Games," AFI President Adille Sumariwalla said while addressing the media during a virtual press conference on Sunday. The 28-year-old athlete is currently undergoing a 47-day off-season training camp in Bienne, Switzerland, alongside long-time physiotherapist Ishaan Marwaha and coach Jai Choudhary. Chopra has good memories of Doha. It hosted a memorable contest last year when Chopra broke the 90m barrier with a national record 90.23m. The men’s javelin competition at the Mazzraty Doha Meeting this year will feature a world-class field led by Sri Lanka’s world leader Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage, who threw a national record 92.62m in Rome earlier this month. He will be joined by Paris Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem of Pakistan and reigning world champion Keshorn Walcott of Trinidad and Tobago.

Also in action are former world champion Anderson Peters and American world bronze medallist Curtis Thompson. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location: New Bongaigaon Railway Colony, India, India First Published: June 15, 2026, 15:32 IST News sports other-sports Neeraj Chopra's Return Date Confirmed, Set To Compete At... Disclaimer: Comments reflect users’ views, not News18’s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments...