Neeraj Chopra is still recovering from injury, season is pretty much done for him: AFI president Adille Sumariwalla
Neeraj Chopra is still recovering from injury, season is pretty much done for him: AFI president Adille Sumariwalla
The Athletic Federation of India (AFI) has decided not to risk Olympic Champion Neeraj Chopra any further this season as the 24-year-old javelin thrower is still recovering from his groin injury, which he sustained during the World Athletics Championships in July. This effectively means Neeraj is now out of the upcoming Lausanne Diamond League (Athletissima), which was slated on 26 August, and subsequently the Diamond League Grand Final in Zurich on 7-8 September. The injury earlier also forced Neeraj to miss the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
"Neeraj is still recovering from injury and that's why we don't want to risk him anymore for the rest of the season," AFI president Adille Sumariwalla told Firstpost.com on Friday. "The season is pretty much done for him and he will be back to India from Germany soon after he recovers from his injury."
Neeraj is currently recuperating from injury in Germany's Saarbrücken and as per reports has already started doing light throwing sessions with his coach Dr Bartonietz Klaus and physio Ishaan Marwaha. However, his name still figures among the list of competitors for the javelin throw event at the Athletissima.
— Neeraj Chopra (@Neeraj_chopra1) August 19, 2022
AFI has always urged caution in Neeraj's return to the competition post an injury. In 2019, the national record holder was eager to compete in the World Championships after elbow surgery but the federation's senior officials talked him out of it.
As far as this season is concerned, Neeraj had a memorable outing at the world stage as he breached his national record twice to a new personal best of 89.94m at the Stockholm Diamond League. He finished second in the major event and placed himself in the reckoning for the six-athlete grand final in Zurich as he currently sits fourth in the standings.
Right after Stockholm, he broke India's 19-year-old duck at the Oregon World Championship by clinching the silver medal with an 88.39m throw. This was India's first silver at the biggest of athletics event after long jump legend Anju Bobby George's bronze medal in 2003.
However, Neeraj had to skip the Commonwealth Games right after as he injured himself in Oregon.
Apart from the major events, he also threw 89.30m at the beginning of his season at Paavo Nurmi Games in Finland to grab the silver medal. This was followed by a gold medal at the Kuortane Games with an 86.69m throw.
Avinash Sable may compete in another Diamond League
3000m steeplechase star Avinash Sable may compete in the upcoming Diamond League in Laussane as he is currently in the reckoning for the Grand Final (a 10-man event) with four points and is currently at the eighth spot tied with four other runners. Sable bagged those four points after finishing fourth during his tournament debut in Rabat in June. The 2 September's Brussels Diamond League doesn't include the mid-distance event.
"Avinash may compete in one or two races if his body permits. He had a long season and that's why we want to access his fitness before we take the call. The decision will be taken soon," said the AFI president.
For the rest of the Indian athletes, including long jumper Murali Sreeshankar, the season is over as the federation will chalk out the plan for the next season after the National Open later this year.
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