Olympic gold-medallist javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra will miss the Ostrava Golden Spike 2024 athletics meet in the Czech Republic on May 28 due to a muscle injury he sustained in training two weeks ago, the organisers said.
Chopra has competed in two competitions this season — the Doha Diamond League and the Federation Cup. The 26-year-old will, however, attend the prestigious meet as a guest.
“Due to an injury that he sustained in training two weeks ago (adductor muscle) he will not be able to throw in Ostrava, but he will arrive at the event as a guest,” said the organisers of the competition in a statement.
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Chopra, the reigning Olympic and world champion, commenced his 2024 season on a strong note, clinching silver with an impressive throw of 88.36 metres at the Doha Diamond League on May 10.
He then made a return to domestic competition after almost three years, winning gold in the Federation Cup on May 15 with a throw of 82.27m, pushing DP Manu to second spot in Bhubaneswar.
Chopra is one of India’s best medal hopes in the Paris Olympic Games where he would be keen to retain the gold medal he won at the Tokyo Olympics.
The organisers said they had received a note from Chopra informing them about his pull out from the competition.
“The organisers did note a message from the Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra.”
European champion, Germany’s Julian Weber, will be the replacement for Chopra.
“The best possible replacement was managed by the organisers. European champion Julian Weber from Germany, who threw 88.37 on Friday, the third best performance of the year, will come to Ostrava. It will be a big test for Jakub Vadlejch before the EC in Rome,” added the statement.
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