Kamal Ghorui
Neeraj Chopra is expected to miss the Rome leg of the Diamond League on June 4, with the Indian star continuing his rehabilitation programme in Türkiye after battling back issues that affected him last season.The Rome entry list for the prestigious event does not include the two-time Olympic medallist, making his absence one of the biggest talking points ahead of the competition. Attention is also turning toward the Rabat Diamond League on May 31, although the entry list for that event is yet to be announced.In Chopra’s absence, fellow Indian javelin thrower Sachin Yadav is set to make his Diamond League debut in Rome following a breakthrough period in his career.Yadav earned widespread attention after his impressive performance at the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo, where he finished fourth and notably out-threw Chopra in the final. While Chopra struggled with back trouble during the event, Yadav delivered a personal best throw of 86.27m to establish himself among the rising names in world javelin.The challenge in Rome, however, will be immense. The field includes several elite names, such as Julian Weber, Jakub Vadlejch, Anderson Peters, Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage, and Thomas Rohler. Curtis Thompson and Dawid Wegner are also part of the lineup.Interestingly, reigning world champion Keshorn Walcott is also absent from the Rome entry list.Chopra, meanwhile, remains focused on regaining full fitness before returning to competition in a season that also includes the Asian Games. The Indian star recently ended his coaching partnership with Czech legend Jan Zelezny after a mixed 2025 campaign.Although Chopra achieved the long-awaited milestone of breaching the 90m mark with a 90.23m throw in Doha, he endured a disappointing eighth-place finish at the World Championships.The Olympic champion has also reportedly shifted away from rigid overseas coaching systems and launched a sports management venture alongside his family, signalling a new phase in his career.As Chopra works his way back, Rome could provide Sachin Yadav the perfect opportunity to announce himself on one of athletics’ biggest stages.
