New Delhi: Indian javelin star Neeraj Chopra may be absent from the world athletics circuit for several months, but the Olympic and world champion is now close to making a comeback, after an intense period of rehabilitation and technical rebuilding aimed at preserving his body for the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.The 28-year-old from Panipat has not competed for 232 days, as of May 8, since finishing eighth at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo last September – the first time since his historic gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 that he has failed to finish on the podium. As the current international athletics season gains momentum ahead of major events such as the Commonwealth Games, Asian Games, Diamond League Meets and the IAAF World Championships, Chopra’s fans have been eagerly awaiting his return.
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While Chopra may still be exploring the option of competing at the CWG in Glasgow, his immediate focus remains defending his Asian Games title in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. Keeping this in mind, his possible comeback events could be the Irena Szewiska Memorial in Poland on May 29, the Paavo Nurmi Games in Finland on June 3, the Ostrava Golden Spike in Czech Republic on June 16, and the FBK Games in Netherlands on June 21, sources told TOI.
According to sources, officials from the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) recently spoke to Chopra regarding his comeback plans and were informed that his rehabilitation phase is nearing completion. Sources said Chopra has spent the past few months focusing almost entirely on recovery and rehabilitation from multiple physical setbacks, including issues with her hip, ankle and back. “After the Tokyo Worlds, Chopra knew that recovery had to become a top priority.
He had been suffering from hip and back problems for a while, which affected his preparations and performance. The source said: Since then, most of his work has focused on rehabilitation, restoring mobility and rebuilding full physical fitness.Chopra initially trained at his off-season base in Potchefstroom, South Africa, before recently moving to Antalya, Turkey, where he is now preparing under the guidance of trusted coach Jaiver Choudhury and physiotherapist Ishaan Marwaha.
The move allowed him to focus on controlled training sessions rather than the immediate pressure of competition.“He has now started preparing specifically to compete again. Earlier, his sessions revolved around working in the gym, recovery and regaining fitness levels. The focus has gradually shifted towards event-specific training. Instead of rushing back into elite-level competition, Chopra has been advised to ease into the season with relatively smaller invitational meets.
The idea is to build rhythm and confidence gradually rather than pushing hard into a big event right away.
The source explained that managing his workload is crucial because the biggest goal is to stay healthy for the next Olympics.Chopra was originally expected to start his season at the Doha Diamond League on May 8 but the event was postponed to June 19 due to the ongoing conflict in West Asia. During his training period in Antalya, Chopra is also believed to have made significant technical adjustments to his throwing mechanics, particularly the ‘block’ motion – the crucial landing phase after his release that prevents athletes from crossing the foul line.“The throw itself did not cause problems,” the source said. “The pressure came from the landing and the way he blocked his body after his release. He worked extensively on that aspect, along with adjusting his throwing pattern. He even replaced long-distance running with sprint-focused work to reduce the pressure.”With the Los Angeles Games in his sights, Chopra is expected to continue training under Choudhary without hiring a foreign coach.