India’s javelin star Neeraj Chopra marked his return to international competition with an encouraging performance at the Doha Diamond League 2026, securing qualification for the upcoming Commonwealth Games with a best throw of 85.69m.
Competing for the first time in eight months after recovering from a back injury, Chopra showed promising signs despite narrowly missing out on a podium finish in the season-opening event.
Sharing a video of his effort on social media platform X, the Tokyo Olympic gold medallist expressed satisfaction with his comeback.
“Happy to be back on the field. 85.69m felt good, and ready for the season ahead!” Chopra posted.
Happy to be back on the field. 85.69m felt good, and ready for the season ahead! 🙏 pic.twitter.com/aVSBsjrmpQ
— Neeraj Chopra (@Neeraj_chopra1) June 20, 2026
The 28-year-old endured a slow start, opening with a foul before gradually settling into the competition. His best throw of 85.69m came in the third round, briefly lifting him into third place while also comfortably surpassing the qualification standard for the Commonwealth Games.
Chopra followed up with an effort of 83.45m in the fourth round but was unable to improve further. A foul on his fifth attempt ultimately saw him slip to fourth place, denying him a spot in the final three-athlete shootout.
Sri Lanka’s Rumesh Pathirage claimed top honours with a winning throw of 88.68m, while Grenada’s Anderson Peters finished second with 86.38m. American Curtis Thompson secured third place with 85.99m, edging Chopra by just 30 centimetres.
The outing nevertheless marked a positive step in Chopra’s return from injury as he begins preparations for a busy season that includes the Commonwealth Games and World Championships.
The Doha venue also holds special significance for the Indian star. It was at the same stadium last year that Chopra crossed the coveted 90-metre mark for the first time in his career, further cementing his status among the world’s elite javelin throwers.