Neeraj Chopra Vows to Come Back Stronger After Disappointing World Championships Finish

Indian javelin throw star Neeraj Chopra expressed his disappointment on Friday after finishing eighth at the World Championships in Tokyo, saying it was “not how I had hoped to end the season” but promising to return stronger.

Chopra, the defending gold-medallist, managed a best throw of 84.03m, which was not enough to progress beyond the fifth round of the finals. He revealed that a back problem, persisting since the start of September, had affected his performance, but he chose not to use it as an excuse for his below-par showing.

He also praised debutant Sachin Yadav, who threw a spirited 86.27m, finishing fourth and surpassing Chopra in the standings.

“I will take a short break, recover fully, and come back stronger,” Chopra said, reaffirming his focus on future competitions and continuing his journey as one of India’s top athletics stars.