Neeraj Chopra, a javelin thrower who won the Olympic gold medal and silver at the world championship, has withdrawn from the Commonwealth Games, which get underway in Birmingham on Thursday.
Chopra, the current CWG champion, suffered a groyne injury on Saturday during the World Championship final in Eugene, Oregon. According to Rajeev Mehta, the secretary-general of the Indian Olympic Association. he took an MRI scan the following day and was then given the doctors’ recommendation to take a one-month break (IOA).
Injured Neeraj Chopra withdraws from Birmingham CWG after being advised to take a month off
The 24-year-old athlete was slated to carry the Indian flag during the opening ceremony on Thursday. Mehta stated that a choice will soon be made on the new flag bearer after consultation with other IOA office-bearers.
Chopra won’t be competing, thus DP Manu and Rohit Yadav will have to aim to place third and fourth, respectively. The presence of Peters, the world champion, and Keshorn Walcott, the Olympic winner from 2012, will make it difficult. Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem, who placed fifth in the World Championships, will also be in the mix. Yadav’s throw is 82.54 metres, whereas Manu’s personal best is 84.35 metres.
Chopra had indicated he wouldn’t take any chances with the CWG following Saturday’s final, in which he took home the silver medal. saying he would be able to determine the severity of his injury once his body had had time to cool down.
Due to an elbow injury he sustained three years ago that kept him out of action for a long time, he has been cautious about it. After the operation, Chopra decided to cease abusing his body whenever he experienced pain or strain. He couldn’t risk another injury after being sidelined for a year.
Chopra’s participation in the Diamond League is also uncertain as a result of the injury. The Lausanne Diamond League was scheduled on August 26 and Chopra was scheduled to compete. He was attempting to go to the final on September 7 and 8 in Zurich after placing second in Stockholm. Chopra mentioned winning the Diamond League as a primary objective during the press conference held shortly after earning the silver medal at the World Championships.