Neeraj Chopra says last 10 months tested him after Commonwealth Games silver in Glasgow

Neeraj Chopra said the past 10 months had tested him in ways he never expected after he took silver in the men's javelin final at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow on Saturday, Aug 1, 2026. The 28-year-old, a two-time Olympic medallist, posted the comments on Instagram on Tuesday alongside a short clip of his performance.

Chopra said his season had been disrupted by fitness problems, primarily an adductor muscle injury and a number of other niggles that delayed his start to the year. He recorded a season's best of 85.83m at the Commonwealth Games and added the silver to a career that includes gold at the 2018 Games in Gold Coast with a throw of 86.47m; he missed the 2022 edition because of injury.

"There are throws that travel far, and then there are moments that carry the weight of an entire journey. The past 10 months has tested me in ways I never expected," he posted on instagram on Tuesday alongside a short clip of his CWG performance. "Recovering from multiple injuries, rebuilding my body, finding my rhythm again, and learning to be patient when all I wanted was to compete. I was training every day without knowing if I will even have a season to compete this year," he revealed.

Chopra sustained a lower back injury just before the World Championships in September last year and had competed in just one event before the Commonwealth Games. In Glasgow he was beaten by Sri Lanka's Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage, who threw 89.75m in windy conditions.

He wrote that returning to high-level competition felt good and thanked those who supported him, saying: "To be back competing at this level feels good. None of this would have been possible on my own. I'm deeply grateful for the people who never stopped believing in me."

He went on to name his support staff and family in the post: "My physio, Ishaan (Marwaha) ji who has been by my side every step of the recovery, helping me get back to doing what I love. My coach, Jai (Chaudhary), who has been with me since the very first time I picked up a javelin. My family, that always stand strong with me no matter what the circumstances are. The season continues, one step at a time," he said.