Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: India’s javelin superstar Neeraj Chopra may have been absent from the global athletics circuit for months but the Olympic and world champion is now edging closer to a return, following an extensive 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 an eighth-place finish at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo last Sept — the first time since his historic gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 that he failed to finish on the podium. As the current international athletics season gathers momentum ahead of key events such as the Commonwealth Games, Asian Games, Diamond League meetings and the World Athletics Ultimate Championships, Chopra’s fans have been eagerly awaiting his comeback.
While Chopra may be still exploring the option of competing at the Glasgow CWG, his immediate focus remains defending the Asian Games title in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. With that in mind, his potential comeback events could be Irena Szewiska Memorial in Poland on May 29, the Paavo Nurmi Games in Finland on June 3, the Ostrava Golden Spike in Czechia on June 16 and the FBK Games in the Netherlands on June 21, sources indicated to TOI.According to sources, officials from the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) recently spoke with Chopra regarding his return plans and were informed that his rehabilitation phase is nearing completion. Chopra has spent the past several months focusing almost entirely on recovery and rehabilitation from multiple physical setbacks, including groin, ankle and back-related issues, sources said. “After the Tokyo Worlds, Chopra realised that recovery had to become a top priority. He had been carrying groin and back problems for a while which affected both his preparation and performance. Since then, most of his work has revolved around rehabilitation, regaining mobility and rebuilding full fitness,” the source said.Chopra initially trained at his long-time off-season base in Potchefstroom, South Africa, before recently shifting to Antalya, Turkey, where he is now preparing under trusted coach Jaiveer Chaudhary and physiotherapist Ishaan Marwaha. The move has allowed him to focus on controlled training sessions rather than immediate competition pressure.“He has now started preparing specifically for competition again. Earlier, his sessions were centered around gym work, recovery and restoring fitness levels. The focus has gradually shifted towards event-specific training. Rather than rushing back into elite-level competition, Chopra has been advised to ease into the season through relatively smaller invitational meets. The idea is to gradually build rhythm and confidence instead of pushing too hard in a major event immediately. Managing workload is crucial because the larger objective is to keep him healthy for the next Olympic cycle,” the source explained.Chopra was originally expected to begin his season at the Doha Diamond League on May 8 but the event was postponed to June 19 because of the ongoing West Asia conflict. During his training stint in Antalya, Chopra is also believed to have made important technical adjustments to his throwing mechanics, particularly his “blocking” movement – the crucial landing phase after release that prevents athletes from crossing the foul line.“It was not the throw itself causing problems,” the source said. “The stress came from the landing and the way he blocked his body after release. He has worked extensively on that aspect, along with modifying his throwing pattern. He has even replaced longdistance running with sprint-focused work to reduce strain.”With the LA Games firmly in his sights, Chopra is expected to continue training under Chaudhary without bringing in a foreign coach.
