Neeraj finishes fourth in his season-opening event in Doha Diamond League

Forced to hold the commencement of his play owed to an injury, Indian javelin propulsion ace Neeraj Chopra finished 4th successful the Doha Diamond League lawsuit successful Doha connected Friday (June 19, 2026).

The 28-year-old Chopra produced a champion of 85.69m successful his 3rd attempt, which placed him 4th successful the extremity successful his season-opening event.

Chopra has been hampered by a backmost wounded which helium sustained earlier the World Championships successful Tokyo successful September 2025. He was competing present for the archetypal clip aft finishing eighth successful the World Championships. He has been grooming successful Switzerland since May 25 aft a rehabilitation stint successful Turkiye.

Rising Sri Lankan prima and satellite person Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage won the rubric successful the star-studded tract with a propulsion of 88.68m, portion two-time satellite champion Andersen Peters of Grenada was 2nd with 86.38. American Curtis Thompson, who won a bronze successful the Tokyo World Championships, was 3rd with 85.99m.

Chopra, however, breached the 82.61m qualifying region acceptable by the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) for the upcoming Commonwealth Games.

He was earlier named successful the 32-member Indian squad for the Glasgow CWG (July 23 to August 2).

Chopra began with a foul and was placed 4th aft his 2nd circular propulsion of 82.77m, which sealed his 2026 Commonwealth Games berth. He did adjacent amended successful his 3rd attempt, sending his spear to 85.69m, and jumping up 1 spot to third.

But erstwhile the 23-year-old Pathirage took the pb with his 4th circular propulsion of 88.68m, Chopra was pushed down to 4th place.

Pathirage, who has been successful the signifier of his beingness this season, was astatine the 4th spot astatine the halfway stage, aft humble throws of 82.62m, 84.63m and 80.53m. But helium proved wherefore helium is the hottest javelin thrower this play with his 4th circular effort of 88.68m, which was followed up by 84.47m and 81.35m.

This was his 2nd DL win. He had won the rubric successful Rome earlier this period with a monster propulsion of 92.62m which is the presently the satellite starring distance. He became lone the 4th Asian and 28th wide to breach the coveted 90m mark. He has had 2 much 89m-plus throws this season. He had travel into the Doha DL aft winning the prestigious Golden Spike conscionable successful Ostrava, Czechia, with a propulsion of 86.57m.

For Chopra, the lengthy injury-forced lack from contention affected his rhythm, and helium could not replicate his stunning show present past year, erstwhile helium breached the coveted 90m people with a propulsion of 90.23m, portion finishing second.

It was lone the 3rd gathering betwixt Chopra and Pathirage and their archetypal connected the Diamond League stage. The head-to-head grounds present stands 2-1 successful favour of the Sri Lankan.

Chopra won golden successful the NC Classic which helium hosted successful Bengaluru successful July 2025, portion Pathirage had finished 3rd with 84.34m.

In the Tokyo World Championships past year, Chopra ended a disappointing eighth portion Pathirage finished seventh 84.38m.