Injury scare for Neeraj, pulls out of Golden Spike

New Delhi, May 26

Olympics champion javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra today clarified that he is not injured but has pulled out of the Ostrava Golden Spike meet in Czech Republic on May 28 as a precautionary measure after he felt “something” with his adductor muscles during a recent training session.

Chopra said he would not want to risk injury in an Olympics year and hence decided to skip the prestigious meet. “Following a recent throwing session, I decided not to compete in Ostrava as I felt something in my adductor. I have had problems with it in the past and pushing it at this stage can lead to injury,” Chopra posted online. “Just to clarify, I am not injured but I don’t want to take any risk during the Olympic year so had to take this decision. Once I feel it’s fully recovered, I will get back to competitions,” he added.

Precaution

Following a recent throwing session, I decided not to compete in Ostrava as I felt something in my adductor. I have had problems with it in the past and pushing it at this stage can lead to injury. —Neeraj Chopra

Chopra’s clarification came just hours after the organisers of the prestigious meet said he has decided to skip the event due to an injury he sustained while training two weeks ago. “Due to an injury that he sustained in training two weeks ago (adductor muscle) he will not be able to throw in Ostrava, but he will arrive at the event as a guest,” the organisers of Golden Spike said earlier in the day.

This was to be Chopra’s first foray at the meet, which is a World Athletics Continental Tour Gold event.