Neeraj Chopra Will Return to the Olympics
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Olympic and world champion javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra will compete again at the Paavo Nurmi Games here on Tuesday against a strong field, hoping to continue his build-up to the Paris Games with renewed vigour after being forced into a brief pause to heal a niggle.
The only other Indian in the field at 26, the superstar will compete against Max Dehning, a teenage wonder from Germany and the youngest member of the elite 90m club, which Chopra hopes to join.
Chopra will face serious opposition from the 19-year-old as he defends his gold medal from the Tokyo Games in Paris. Oliver Helander, a local favorite who defeated the Indian in the one-day competition in 2022, will also be there.
For precautionary reasons, Chopra had withdrew from the Ostrava Golden Spike last month after he suffered from his adductor injury. In May, he started his season at the Doha Diamond League, where he placed second with a final throw of 88.36 meters, which was his ninth-best record ever.
To avoid a busy schedule leading up to the Olympics, he has chosen not to compete in the National Inter-State Athletics in Panchkula, which is scheduled to begin on June 27.
The timing of future competitions will be determined later, based on my body and the circumstances. If not, I'll compete in Turku and then travel to Paris," Chopra had said following the Federation Cup.
