Neeraj Chopra targets return to peak fitness, World Championship glory in 2025

Neeraj Chopra said he is confident of returning to 100 percent fitness at the start of the next season. The double Olympic medalist was battling with a groin injury throughout the 2024 season.

In Short

• Neeraj Chopra battled a groin injury throughout the 2024 season
• Neeraj said he competed in the Diamond League final with a broken hand
• Neeraj won a silver in the Paris Olympics

Double Olympic medallist Neeraj Chopra has downplayed injury concerns, expressing optimism about being 100 percent fit at the start of the 2025 season. He stated that while the Los Angeles Olympics will be his ultimate goal, he is focused on the upcoming World Championships, which will take place in Tokyo from September 13 to 21 next year.

Neeraj battled a groin injury throughout 2024. His team told India Today that he delayed surgery to compete in the Olympics. However, Neeraj confirmed that his injury "is fine" and that he will work on his technique to improve in the next season. He has returned to India after competing in the Diamond League final in Brussels this September.

"The season is over now. The biggest target for next year is the World Championship, and we will begin preparations for that now. The Olympics are always on our minds, but we have four years for that," Neeraj told PTI Videos on the sidelines of a conference on 'Mission Olympics 2036' organized at the Sports University of Haryana.

'MY INJURY IS FINE NOW'

Neeraj was set to consult a doctor at the end of the season to decide whether to undergo surgery, but he did not provide an update on that development.

He won the Olympic silver medal in Paris with a best throw of 89.45m in the final, finishing behind Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem, who broke the Olympic record with a throw of 92.97m.

Neeraj wasn't at his full capacity during the Diamond League final, where he finished second behind Grenada's Anderson Peters. Neeraj had said he competed in the Diamond League final with a broken hand.

"It was an injury-plagued year, but my injury is fine now, and I will be 100 percent fit for the new season," he asserted.

"There are also some technical issues, but we will work on them. I prefer to train in India, but when competitions start, I like to train abroad," he added.

Throughout 2024, Neeraj threw over 89m three times but couldn't breach the elusive 90m mark. He acknowledged that he never let the pressure of needing a big throw affect him, but Arshad's performance in the Olympic final changed his perspective. Neeraj's personal best remains 89.94m, achieved in 2022. He concluded the season with a best effort of 89.49m at the Lausanne Diamond League in August.