Due to a muscle injury he suffered during training two weeks ago, Olympic gold medallist and javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra will be absent from the Ostrava Golden Spike 2024 athletics meet in the Czech Republic on May 28. This season, Chopra has participated in the Federation Cup and the Doha Diamond League. Nonetheless, the 26-year-old will be a guest at the esteemed gathering. The competition’s organizers released a statement saying, “He will not be able to throw in Ostrava due to an injury that he sustained in training two weeks ago (adductor muscle), but he will arrive at the event as a guest.”
The current Olympic and world champion, Chopra, got off to a great start in 2024, winning silver at the Doha Diamond League on May 10 with a fantastic throw of 88.36 meters.
After nearly three years, he returned to domestic competition and on May 15, he won gold in the Federation Cup in Bhubaneswar with a throw of 82.27 meters, moving DP Manu to second place.
Chopra is one of India’s best chances to medal at the Olympics in Paris, where he is eager to keep the gold medal he took home from Tokyo.
The organisers stated that they had a note from Chopra explaining his decision to withdraw from the competition.
“The organisers did note a message from the Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra.” European champion, Germany’s Julian Weber, will be the replacement for Chopra.
“The best possible replacement was managed by the organisers. European champion Julian Weber from Germany, who threw 88.37 on Friday, the third best performance of the year, will come to Ostrava. It will be a big test for Jakub Vadlejch before the EC in Rome,” added the statement.
