The roar of the crowd at Tokyo’s National Stadium still echoes in Neeraj Chopra’s ears.
On September 18, 2025 just days ago the 27-year-old Indian javelin sensation stood on the very field where he’d claimed Olympic gold in 2021, now defending his World Championships crown from Budapest 2023.
But this time, the script flipped. His best throw of 84.03 meters landed him in eighth place, snapping a remarkable streak of 26 straight Top2 finishes that had stretched back over 2,500 days. Keshorn Walcott of Trinidad and Tobago soared to gold with 88.16 meters, while compatriot Sachin Yadav, inspired by Neeraj’s own journey, grabbed fourth at a personal-best 86.27 meters.
Arshad Nadeem, Neeraj’s Olympic rival, struggled to 10th with 82.75 meters. As rain slicked the runway and frustration creased his brow, Neeraj pulled off his gear and trudged away, the weight of unmet expectations palpable.
Yet, in that raw moment, Neeraj’s humanity shone through the village kid from Haryana who once chucked stones at mango trees, now a global icon grappling with the unforgiving precision of his craft.
“I don’t understand what happened today,” he confessed in the mixed zone, voice steady but edged with disbelief. “This has not happened for a long time. I had some problems before coming to Tokyo a back issue two weeks ago. I didn’t want to tell anyone; I thought I could push through. But javelin is tough. If you’re not at 100%, you’re out.” As told to NNIS.
It marked the end of his unbeaten top-two run at majors since Tokyo, but for a man who’s turned scars into spears, this is merely a pivot, not a period.
A Season of Peaks, Then the Plunge
Neeraj’s 2025 had ignited like wildfire. Kicking off in April with a comfortable win at the Potchefstroom Invitational in South Africa (84.52 meters), he stormed Doha on May 16, shattering the 90-meter barrier with a national-record 90.23 meters finally silencing the chorus questioning if he’d ever join the elite 90m club.
Though Julian Weber edged him with 91.06 meters, it was a thunderclap moment, his first over 90 since teasing it with 89.94 meters back in 2022. Wins followed at the Golden Spike Ostrava (June 24) and his self-hosted Neeraj Chopra Classic in Bengaluru (July 5), drawing 15,000 fans to celebrate the prodigal son. Even in Paris’s
Diamond League on June 20 his return after eight years he notched second with 84.14 meters amid wet chaos.
Under new coach Jan Zelezny, the Czech legend whose 98.48-meter world record looms large, Neeraj refined his explosive hip rotation and mental edge. A 57-day camp in Prague and Nymburk through early September sharpened his blade.
But shadows loomed: a lingering groin niggle from Paris 2024, a fractured left hand that forced grit through the Diamond League finale (second place in Zurich, 85.01 meters), and now this fresh back tweak on September 4 during Czech training. An MRI confirmed it wasn’t catastrophic, but it sapped his power.
Qualifying on September 17 with a breezy 84.85 meters masked the storm; the final exposed it fouls, flats, and an early exit after five rounds. “I’ll watch the footage tonight,” he vowed, ever the analyst. “We analyze everything.”
That’s the mindset of a champion not wallowing, but dissecting, adapting. In the quiet hours after, as teammates like Sarvesh Kushare made history in high jump qualifiers, Neeraj retreated to reflect. India ended the Championships with no medals in athletics, but Sachin’s near-miss was a silver lining a nod to the depth Neeraj’s success has inspired in Indian javelin.
India’s athletics haul at Tokyo? Zero medals, but Sachin’s near-podium whisper of Indian depth, born from Neeraj’s trailblazing. Sachin Yadav historic 4th place with PB. High jumper Sarvesh Kushare’s historic final qualification added quiet pride amid the sting. Healing the Body, Sharpening the Spear Champions don’t crumble; they calibrate. Neeraj’s recovery playbook is etched in discipline, a
blend of science and soul. First, the physio grind: his long-time handler, Ishaan Marwaha, will orchestrate contrast therapy icy plunges chasing hot soaks to tame inflammation. Deep-tissue work unknots the back’s knots, while hyperbaric chambers flood cells with oxygen for deeper healing. Sleep’s non-negotiable: nine hours tracked via wearables, because even javelin gods recharge.
Fueling the fire? Neeraj’s plate evolved from strict vegetarian roots to strategic omnivory salmon for omega-3 punch, eggs for protein, almonds and veggie soups for steady energy.
No more skimping; it’s calibrated calories for explosive output. Mentally, chess sessions borrowed from foe Julian Weber hone that predator’s patience, while yoga dials in flexibility to guard against future betrayals.
By late October, he’ll regroup in Potchefstroom, South Africa, for a four-week block with Zelezny.
Expect low-volume, high-quality: plyometrics for pop, video breakdowns for tweaks. “Fitness and prep need work,” Neeraj admitted post-Tokyo. No more heroics through pain; it’s periodized now build, peak, protect. The back’s a wake-up: “I’ve always hated excuses, but this is real,” he reflected. “Next time, we listen to the body sooner.”
Eyes on the Horizon: What’s Next for the Javelin King?
The calendar beckons, but Neeraj’s selective quality over quantity, Worlds redemption first.
The meat? The 2026 Continental Tour Gold Doha or Paris legs in May, pitting him against Weber (world No. 1, 91.51 meters season-best), resurgent Nadeem (92.97 meters Olympic monster), and Peters (87.87 meters Diamond champ). Neeraj’s 90.23 sets the bar; he’ll chase consistency there, eyeing 92-plus under Zelezny’s gaze.
But the blaze? Los Angeles 2028 Olympics. At 30, he’ll hunt a third straight medal gold repeat, silver redemption. “Tokyo 2021 was magic; Paris 2024 hurt. LA? It’s mine,” he hinted in a recent chat. Before that, the 2027 Worlds in Beijing, another title shot. And his Classic? Evolving into an annual beacon, scouting India’s javelin renaissance.
Neeraj’s tale isn’t flawless fairy tale it’s the grit of a boy who fled village taunts to forge legends. Tokyo 2025 exposed cracks, but cracks catch light. As he heals in Haryana’s fields, spear in hand once more, remember: the man who broke 90 didn’t quit at 84.
He adapts. He soars. And when that javelin arcs skyward again, it’ll remind us why we root for the fight, the fall, and the fierce rise. The golden boy’s just warming up.
