Neeraj Chopra Skips Doha Diamond League for Training Camp

Neeraj Chopra's Absence from Doha Diamond League

Neeraj Chopra, India's Olympic gold medalist and former world champion in javelin throw, will not participate in the Doha Diamond League this year. This marks the first time in four years that he will miss this prestigious event, as confirmed by the entry list released by the organizers for the competition set for June 19.

Chopra will not return to the venue where he made headlines last year by achieving the 90-meter mark. In the 2023 Doha Diamond League, he secured victory with a throw of 88.67 meters, and in the following season, he finished second with a throw of 88.36 meters.

Last year, he set a personal best and national record of 90.23 meters but ended up as the runner-up to Germany's Julian Weber, who recorded a throw of 91.06 meters.

Training Focus Ahead of Major Competitions

Chopra's decision to skip the event aligns with his current commitment to a 47-day off-season training camp in Switzerland. This training is crucial as he prepares for a busy season that includes significant competitions such as the Commonwealth Games from July 23 to August 2 and the Asian Games from September 19 to October 4. The training camp at the Olympic Training Centre in Bienne is set to conclude on July 10.

The previous season ended on a disappointing note for Chopra, as he was unable to defend his world title at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, finishing in eighth place due to injuries that affected his performance. He has yet to commence his 2026 season.

Star Athletes Competing in Doha

Despite Chopra's absence, the Doha Diamond League will feature a host of prominent athletes. Among them are Pakistan's Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem and Sri Lanka's Rumesh Pathirage, who recently achieved a season-best throw of 92.62 meters at the Rome Diamond League. Pathirage's performance ranks as the second-best javelin throw by an Asian, following Nadeem's 92.97 meters at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

The event will also showcase current world champion Keshorn Walcott from Trinidad and Tobago, along with former champions Anderson Peters from Grenada and Julius Yego from Kenya. Additionally, USA's Curtis Thompson, a Pan American Games gold medalist, and Jakub Vadlejch from Czechia, an Olympic and world championship silver medalist, will also compete.

Doha's Role in the Diamond League Series

The Doha meet is the seventh event in the 2026 Diamond League series, with the series finale scheduled to take place in Brussels from September 4 to 5.