"85.69m felt good, and ready for the season ahead": Neeraj Chopra after his return at Doha Diamond League
New Delhi, June 20
India's javelin star Neeraj Chopra expressed satisfaction after making a successful return to competition at the Doha Diamond League 2026, where he secured qualification for the upcoming Commonwealth Games with an 85.69m throw in his first event of the 2026 season.
Sharing a video of his effort on X on Saturday, Chopra wrote, "Happy to be back on the field. 85.69m felt good, and ready for the season ahead!"
The 28-year-old was competing for the first time in eight months after recovering from a back injury that had sidelined him since the end of last season. While he narrowly missed out on a podium finish in Doha, the outing provided encouraging signs as he returned to the international circuit.
Chopra began the competition with a foul throw but gradually found his rhythm in a high-quality field. His best effort of 85.69m came on the third attempt, lifting him to third place at the end of the third round and comfortably taking him past the qualification mark for the Commonwealth Games.
The Tokyo Olympic gold medallist followed it up with a throw of 83.45m in the fourth round. However, he could not improve further and recorded another foul on his fifth attempt. As a result, he slipped to fourth place and missed out on advancing to the final three-athlete shootout.
Sri Lanka's Rumesh Pathirage emerged victorious with a throw of 88.68m, while Grenada's Anderson Peters finished second with 86.38m. American Curtis Thompson claimed third place with a best effort of 85.99m, edging Chopra by just 30 centimetres.
The Doha venue holds special significance for the Indian athlete. It was here last year that Chopra breached the coveted 90m mark for the first time in his career, a milestone that further cemented his status among the world's leading javelin throwers.
— ANI
Reader Comments
A 90m throw last year and now 85m+ in the first meet back? That's consistency. And he qualified for CWG in his first attempt. The only minor concern is that he slipped to 4th in the final rounds. Maybe a bit more fitness work needed? But overall, very encouraging signs. 👏
"Narrowly missed the podium by only 30 cm" — that's heartbreaking but also shows how close he is to the top. And look at the competition: Pathirage threw 88m, Anderson Peters is always dangerous. Neeraj is India's best medal hope for 2028 Olympics, no doubt. Keep going, champ! ✨
What a comeback! First foul, then finds rhythm, then 85.69m. That's the mark of a mature athlete. He knows his body, he knows when to push. And qualifying for CWG in the first meet itself takes the pressure off. India's golden boy is back. 🥇
As a fan from the US, it's great to see Neeraj back. His 90m throw last year in Doha was iconic. This 85m+ is a solid start after injury. The competition looks tough — Peters, Pathirage, Thompson — but Neeraj has the big-meet temperament. Wishing him a strong season ahead. 🙌
Look, 85.69m is decent for a comeback, but let's not get too excited. He was 4th, and the winner threw 88m+. At the highest level, Neeraj
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