Neeraj Chopra produced a season-best throw of 85.83m to win the silver medal in the javelin event at the Commonwealth Games on Friday (local time). Chopra, who was dealt with a back injury last year, competed in only his second event of the year after his fourth-placed finish at the Doha Diamond League in June.
Chopra struggled with a lower back injury since September 2025 and is on a return from the issue as he eyes his peak form yet again. He missed the Rabat and Rome Diamond Leagues before the Glasgow Games as he continued his rehabilitation programme in Türkiye.
In only his second event of the year, the two-time Olympic medallist produced a throw of 85.83m in his second attempt to bag his second medal at the Commonwealth Games, this time a silver as Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage won the gold and another Indian, Yash Vir Singh, bagged bronze.
When will Neeraj play next?
There is a busy international schedule for the javelin athletes to follow as they have two more legs of the Diamond League, the final of the Diamond League, the Asian Games and a new World Athletics Ultimate Championships - a new biennial event that will take place in even-numbered years.
Speaking after the silver win in Glasgow, Neeraj confirmed that although he is still not at his best, fitness-wise, he will be playing in the Diamond League before the Asian Games - the continental event that will be played in Aichi-Nagoya from September 19 to October 4.
"I can't say fitness is like before. But I'm getting there slowly. There is still time for the Asian Games. I will compete in the Diamond League before that. There will be more improvement. Will improve slowly," Chopra said after his event.
When are the next Javelin events at the Diamond League?
The next Javelin event at the Diamond League will be in the Lausanne leg, which will be held on August 21. Zurich Diamond League will provide the final qualification chance for the final, with that event scheduled to take place on August 27 before the final on September 4 and 5.
The top six athletes from the five legs of the tournament will qualify for the final in Brussels. Neeraj is currently running seventh with five points from the lone event that he took part in, with Kenya's Julius Yego ranked sixth with nine points.
Chopra would need to play in at least one of these two legs if he has to stand a chance to qualify for the Brussels final as he eyes a strong showing at the Asian Games. Chopra has won the Diamond League final before in his career, a victory in 2022 that made him the first Indian to claim the prestigious title.
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