Neeraj Chopra, the Olympic and world champion in javelin throw, has arrived in Glasgow for the Commonwealth Games, marking his return after missing the 2022 Birmingham edition due to injury. Chopra, who was the Gold Coast champion in 2018, will compete in a high-stakes men’s javelin throw event.
His recent competition history includes a fourth-place finish at the Doha Diamond League with a throw of 85.69m. This was his only appearance since finishing eighth at the World Championships in Tokyo last September, where he was managing a lower back injury. Chopra has focused on rehabilitation and recovery, addressing issues with his ankle, shoulder, wrist, and adductor in recent years.
Upon his arrival in Glasgow, Chopra noted that his preparations have been good, with increased intensity in his workouts and fitness regime following the Doha Diamond League. He expressed hope for warmer weather on his competition day, observing the current cloudy and rainy conditions.
Key Competitors and Indian Hopes
Chopra is set to renew his rivalry with Pakistan‘s Olympic and defending Commonwealth Games champion Arshad Nadeem. Another significant competitor is Sri Lanka‘s Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage, who enters the competition in strong form, having produced a world-leading throw of 92.62m at the Rome Diamond League earlier this month. Pathirage also finished ahead of Chopra in Doha.
The men’s javelin field in Glasgow is considered to be of a high standard, comparable to the Olympics or World Championships. Other notable competitors include reigning world champion Keshorn Walcott of Trinidad and Tobago, 2022 Commonwealth Games silver winner Anderson Peters of Grenada, and Julius Yego of Kenya.
Joining Chopra in the men’s javelin throw event for India are Rohit Yadav and Yash Vir Singh. Rohit Yadav is currently ranked second among Commonwealth season leaders with a throw of 87.05m recorded last month, positioning him as a medal contender. The qualifying rounds for the men’s javelin are scheduled for July 30.
India’s Broader Medal Aspirations
Beyond javelin, India aims to surpass its previous medal haul of eight (one gold, four silver, three bronze) from the Birmingham Games. The Indian team management anticipates multiple medals across various athletics events.
Murali Sreeshankar, a silver medallist in long jump at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, is considered a strong contender for a gold medal. He leads the season’s chart among Commonwealth long jumpers with an 8.38m effort last month. Lokesh Sathyanathan, with a season’s best of 8.21m, could also be in contention for a medal.
In high jump, Sarvesh Kushare, who recently set a national record of 2.31m, is another gold medal prospect. The men’s high jump event will feature several top season leaders. Aadarsh Ram and Tejaswin are also competing in high jump, with Tejaswin‘s primary medal hope lying in the decathlon, where he holds the national record.
The men’s triple jump also presents medal opportunities for India with national record holder Praveen Chitravel (17.08m) and Selva Prabhu (17.05m) in contention. The athletics events are scheduled to begin on Monday.
Athletics Schedule and Expectations
The first athletics medal for India could potentially come from Sarvesh Kushare on Monday, the opening day of the athletics events. Tejas Shirse, a men’s 100m hurdler, is expected to reach the final and could secure a medal if he improves his season’s best and national record of 13.27 seconds.
Other Indian athletes, including Sreeshankar and Sathyanathan in men’s long jump, and Pooja Singh in women’s high jump, will participate in their qualifying rounds on Monday. National record holder Gurindervir Singh will also compete in his 100m round 1 race on Monday.
The men’s javelin throw final is scheduled for the day after the qualifying round, on July 31.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
