Indian javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra finished fourth in the Doha Diamond League competition on Friday after being forced to postpone the start of his season owing to an injury.
In his season-opening event, the 28-year-old Chopra finished fourth with a best time of 85.69 meters on his third try.
A back ailment he suffered prior to the September 2025 World Championships in Tokyo has hindered Chopra. After placing eighth in the World Championships, he was competing here for the first time. Following a period of recuperation in Turkiye, he has been exercising in Switzerland since May 25.
In the star-studded field, rising star and global leader Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage took first place with a throw of 88.68 meters, followed by two-time world champion Andersen Peters of Grenada with 86.38 meters. With 85.99 meters, American Curtis Thompson, who took home a medal in the Tokyo World Championships, finished third.
However, Chopra exceeded the Athletics Federation of India’s (AFI) 82.61-meter qualifying distance for the forthcoming Commonwealth Games.
He was previously included in the 32-member Indian squad for the Glasgow CWG, which is scheduled from July 23 to August 2.
Chopra started with a foul and finished fourth after throwing 82.77 meters in the second round, securing his spot in the 2026 Commonwealth Games. On his third attempt, he performed even better, launching his spear to 85.69 meters and moving up to third position.
However, Chopra dropped to fourth place as the 23-year-old Pathirage took the lead with a throw of 88.68 meters in the fourth round.
After moderate throws of 82.62m, 84.63m, and 80.53m, Pathirage, who has been in the best form of his life this season, was in fourth place at the halfway point. However, his fourth round effort of 88.68m, followed by 84.47m and 81.35m, demonstrated why he is the most popular javelin thrower this season.
This was his second DL victory. With a monstrous throw of 92.62 meters, which is presently the world record, he won the title in Rome earlier this month. He became the 28th person overall and just the fourth Asian to surpass the coveted 90-meter milestone. This season, he has made two more throws of 89 meters or more. After winning the famous Golden Spike meet in Ostrava, Czechia, with a throw of 86.57 meters, he entered the Doha DL.
Chopra was unable to repeat his incredible performance in Doha last year, when he broke the coveted 90-meter mark with a throw of 90.23 meters while finishing second, due to his prolonged injury-related absence from competition.
Chopra and Pathirage have only met three times, and this was their first encounter on the Diamond League stage. The Sri Lankan currently has a 2-1 head-to-head record.
In July 2025, Chopra hosted the NC Classic in Bengaluru, where he won gold. Pathirage came in third with 84.34 meters. Last year at the Tokyo World Championships, Pathirage finished seventh (84.38m), while Chopra finished a disappointing eighth.
