Neeraj Chopra on missing Asian Games 2026: Not being able to represent India at this edition is difficult
Neeraj is the two-time defending champion of the javelin title at the Asian Games, having won gold in Jakarta and Hangzhou. He was also the Indian flag-bearer in 2018. | Photo Credit: PTI
Neeraj is the two-time defending champion of the javelin title at the Asian Games, having won gold in Jakarta and Hangzhou. He was also the Indian flag-bearer in 2018. | Photo Credit: PTI
Ace Indian javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra penned an emotional message, conveying his thoughts on his injury battles and the reality of missing the upcoming edition of the Asian Games.
Neeraj was forced to withdraw from Asian Games following an ankle injury. His last event was the Lausanne Diamond League, where he finished second with a Season Best effort of 88.05m.
The 28-year-old is the two-time defending champion of the javelin title at the Asian Games, having won gold in Jakarta and Hangzhou. He was also the Indian flag-bearer in 2018.
“The Asian Games has given me some of the most special moments of my career, and not being able to represent India at this edition is difficult,” wrote Neeraj on the social media platform Linkedin.
“I will miss competing at the Asian Games this time. To the Indian contingent in Nagoya, I will miss walking alongside you. But I will be backing you. I have precious memories of the Games. I hope you make some too.”
Over the last few years, Neeraj has struggled with fitness issues, with the ankle injury being the latest in a series of troubles. In 2019, he underwent surgery for a right elbow problem, while a groin injury ruled him out of the 2022 Commonwealth Games. In 2023, a muscle strain disrupted his season, while adductor discomfort forced him to withdraw from an event in 2024.
RELATED | Neeraj Chopra injury history: List of all major injuries and fitness setbacks since 2019
“I have been dealing with an ankle ligament injury, and after a lot of consideration, I had to accept that I will not be able to compete. Being able to carry the hope of a country into competition is a privilege. To miss out on that opportunity does hurt,” wrote Neeraj.
The Tokyo Olympic champions emphasised the importance of a healthy support system during the recovery period.
“Injuries are a part of sport. You cannot control everything that happens to you. You can only control how you respond to it. A big part of that response is the people around me. I spend a lot of time away from home - training, travelling and competing, and over the years I’ve understood that it is important to have people around you who keep you positive and grounded. In your lowest times, you don’t really need someone to give you advice or even ask how your injury happened or how long you will be out.
“Sometimes, you just need a friend to call and talk about something completely unrelated. I have friends who know I’m not in the best place right now, but when they call, they don’t ask me about my ankle. They just talk, we laugh, we remember old times, make promises to catch up; this reminds me that there is more to life than the next competition. It helps more than they probably realise,” added Neeraj.
Published on Sep 18, 2026
Latest on Sportstar
Live Blog 2026-09-18T08:17:28+05:30
IND vs AUS, Y-ODI Live Score: Aaryavir Sehwag falls after quickfire 28; India U-19 65/2 vs Australia- Neeraj Chopra on missing Asian Games 2026: Not being able to represent India at this edition is difficult
Live Blog 2026-09-18T13:08:44+05:30
ZIM vs AUS, 2nd ODI LIVE Score: Marsh, Head cross 100-run opening stand
KioskNews shows a cleaned-up reading view extracted from the publisher’s page — the original always lives on their site, not ours.