After booking his place in the men’s javelin throw final at the Commonwealth Games 2026, Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra admitted the cold and swirling winds made qualification challenging, but said he was satisfied with his performance and is looking forward to what he expects will be a high-quality final featuring some of the world’s best throwers.
Chopra secured his place in the medal round with a best effort of 79.61m, explaining that his primary objective was to qualify rather than chase a big throw.
“It was really cold and windy, but the throw was okay, the 79m throw. The goal was to go in the final and give my best in the final, so I’m happy with the throw,” he said after finishing fifth in the qualification round.
Windy conditions make qualification tricky
The unpredictable crosswinds made it difficult for athletes to judge their run-up and release, with no competitor managing to achieve the automatic qualifying mark of 84.00m.
“Conditions are not best for javelin throwers. Not only cold, but it’s really windy. The wind was also not in the front; sometimes it’s from the side. It’s really hard to process where we have to throw. Sometimes we think, ‘Okay, we’ll throw there’, but then the wind comes from the other side. And lots of throwers are struggling today. Nobody touched the automatic qualification mark. It was tough conditions, but we are happy that all three Indians are in the final,” Chopra added.
Alongside also advanced to the final, giving India three medal contenders in the event.
Looking ahead to Friday’s final, Chopra acknowledged the quality of the competition, with several of the world’s leading javelin throwers and Paris Olympic medallists in the field.
“Yeah, it’s a crazy field. For an event like javelin throw, that will be a really good final. Hope conditions will be okay tomorrow. Everyone looks in good shape. Let’s see tomorrow.”
Neeraj Chopra welcomes rise of javelin in South Asia
Chopra also praised Sri Lanka’s Rumesh Pathirage, describing him as one of the sport’s brightest emerging talents and welcoming the growth of javelin across South Asia.
“He’s the new kid on the block, the rising star. He throws really well. He’s a good friend of mine. This year he has thrown really well. It’s good that javelin is growing in our neighbourhood. It feels good that he did something great for Sri Lanka,” he said.
The Olympic champion believes the discipline has gained tremendous popularity across the region, with better coaching, improved facilities and easier access to information encouraging more youngsters to take up the sport.
“Javelin is really popular in South Asia now. There are lots of javelin throwers. There are lots of athletes, and they are training for javelin. So there is a better chance that so many good athletes will come. Earlier, javelin as a sport was not that famous. But in the last few years, people support javelin and people know about the sport. So they know there is a future, and they really push themselves.
“We have good facilities now, and we know about javelin. Because when I started, I didn’t know how we had to plan for javelin training and how we had to train. But right now, because of the internet, you can know about javelin training. So it’s really good that people know about javelin now. That’s why people recognise javelin throw, and they try to give their best,” he added.
Tokyo gold sparked India’s javelin boom
Reflecting on the impact of his historic Tokyo Olympics gold medal, Chopra said the achievement inspired a new generation of Indian throwers and helped raise the standard of the event across the country.
“Earlier, there were lots of other really good athletes that provided a boost to other sports. But after my Tokyo Olympics gold, there was an immense boost in javelin. I’m happy we have really good throwers now. I think we have around 20 80m throwers, so it’s really good for India,” Chopra concluded.