Neeraj Chopra is set to begin his 2026 season at the Doha Diamond League on Friday after spending several months recovering from injuries.
Speaking at the official pre-event press conference on the eve of the competition, the former Olympic champion reflected on his recovery journey, his coaching change and the major competitions that lie ahead.
The Indian star revealed that his injury troubles began even before the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, where he had a forgettable outing. Despite not being fully fit, he decided to compete, a decision he now feels was not the right one.
“I had some injuries before Tokyo, but I still decided to compete. Looking back, it was probably the wrong decision,” Neeraj said.
The Diamond League meet in Doha will be his first competitive appearance since that fateful evening in Tokyo, which saw him concede his world championship title.
According to Neeraj, the problems continued after the championship as he started to feel a discomfort in both his ankle and shoulder.
He only resumed training around one and a half months ago and was unsure whether he would be ready for Doha Diamond League Meet until recently.
“I told them (the organisers) that I would only be able to confirm my participation a week before the competition. After my final training session, I felt fit enough to compete,” he said.
Despite the long recovery process, Neeraj admitted he is excited to return to a venue that holds special memories.
“Doha is my favourite place to start the season,” he said. “This is my first competition of the season. I will try my best and I am looking forward to tomorrow.”
The conversation also turned to his first 90m throw, which came in Doha last year. While the achievement was a major milestone in his career, Neeraj believes the throw was not technically his best.
“It was a fast throw from the arm. If I had used my lower body better, it could have gone two or three metres farther,” he explained.
Neeraj also admitted that during finals he sometimes becomes too aggressive and ends up forgetting parts of his technique. He added that he prefers watching his qualification throws from major events rather than his longest throws.
“My qualification throws at the Olympics and World Championships were technically better because I feel more relaxed,” he said.
The Indian star was also asked about his decision to part ways with former coach Jan Zelezny. He spoke positively about the legendary coach and credited him for helping improve his performances during their short stint together.
“I learned a lot from him and I am happy that my first 90m throw came while working with him,” he said.
Neeraj and Zelezny were working on very specific technical changes before eventually deciding that it would be better for him to return to a style that felt more natural.
He is now training under Indian coach Jai Chaudhary, who was once his senior and has known him for more than 15 years.
“He knows my journey from the beginning. Now we are working on the natural technique that suits me,” Neeraj said.
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