2024: A year of playing through pain ends for Neeraj Chopra

If the 2024 season had been a mixed bag for Neeraj Chopra — often falling short by his standards — it was also one which saw the champion athlete learning with cope with the spectre of injuries and maturing as a person. As he signed out for the year in the Brussels Diamond League final with a silver at 87.86 m albeit with a fractured left hand this weekend, there is now a silent prayer on the lips of Indian sports fan that he should come back completely fit next year.   

‘’Played through pain,’’ the javelin ace admitted in a X post after Saturday night. Neeraj referred to the Saturday night itself, but it was a recurrent theme throughout the season — with the chronic groin injury limiting him from going full tilt at Paris, Lausanne or Brussels. Any elite athlete worth his or her salt would have pulled out of the remaining Diamond League circuit after finishing with a fortuitious silver at the Olympics, but not him.

This is what makes Neeraj Chopra different from the normal sporting icon. The 26-year-old, one of the highest paid sportspersons in India, is perfectly aware of his marketability – but still has not learnt to say ‘no’ even for self-preservation. “Informing the organisers would be the toughest part,” Neeraj had said about the remaining events after hanging on to win the silver in Paris after even surviving five foul throws.   

“I don't mind throwing less, honestly. I think a lot about withdrawing due to injury. I would have already made the entry and would think that if I did not go, people would say that I always do that. Personally, I want to compete as much as possible... And when it doesn't happen, I feel very sad. Then you tell your team — chalo ek acha sa message banate hai — sorry, nahi khel payenge...”

The importance of being Neeraj Chopra came to the limelight when during a téte-a-téte with Prime Minister Narendra Modi after coming back from Paris, the latter asked him on the way forward about addressing the lingering groin injury. Now that the season is done and dusted, Neeraj will take a break and consult doctors regarding his adductor issue. He and his team haven’t yet decided on a course of action, but surgery could be on the cards.

There is exactly a year left for the World Athletics Championships next year at the Tokyo National Stadium, which gives Neeraj ample time for defending his title. “Andar abhi bhi bahut throw baki hai” (I still have many throws left in me), he said after Paris — and for that, the prerogative for Neeraj is to be 100 per cent fit to go for his maiden 90 m mark.

A closer look at his performance through this year reveals that there has been no substantial improvement and this will be surely a key focus for the next season. His personal best, 89.94 m, set more than two years ago in Stockholm, remains unchallenged though the 89.45 m which he threw in his second attempt in Paris under tremendous pressure (after Arshad Nadeem soared to a Olympic record) showed his character and class as a performer.

There were a series of second-place finishes this year — from Doha to Brussels (with the Paavo Nurmi Games being an exception, but the distance was only 85.97 m). Conquering his mind, even when the chips are down, has been a learning curve.

What about the elusive 90 m mark? “Hopefully this season,” Neeraj kept repeating during interactions before the Olympics. After what had been a rather truncated season for him as he had to miss a number of important pre-Olympic international competitions, with the niggles not making it any easier.

One has to now wait and hope for the best next year!

Neeraj Chopra’s performances in 2024:

Doha Diamond League – May 10: 88.36 m

Paavo Nurmi Games – June 18: 85.97 m

Paris Olympics – Aug 8: 89.45 m

Lausanne Diamond League – Aug 22: 89.49 m

Brussels Diamond League – Sep 14: 87.86 m