New Delhi: Indian athlete and javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra will not take part in the Commonwealth Games 2022. The Indian Golden boy is not fit as he got injured in the finals of World Athletic Championship.
Neeraj Chopra pulls out of Commonwealth Games, informs IOA
Secretary General of Indian Olympic Association (IOA), Rajeev Mehta, on Tuesday said the Javelin thrower Chopra informed that he is unfit for taking part in the upcoming Common Wealth Games 2022.
“Neeraj Chopra will miss the Commonwealth games as his fitness is not 100%. He had injured his groin and after scans, has been told to rest for one month. Consequently, he will not be taking part in the Commonwealth Games,” said Rajeev Mehta, IOA General Secretary.
The 24-year-old athlete was set to be India’s flag-bearer during Thursday’s opening ceremony. Mehta said a decision on the new flag-bearer will be taken soon in consultation with other IOA office-bearers.
“Initially he would just push himself through pain. Now he has matured. He knows it is ok not to train when he has not slept well. He knows there is no point doing a morning session without full recovery. He will tell us if he is feeling tightness around say the shoulder or the hip. If the coach says you have to do a 90 kg squat or 90 kg snatch and if he feels he is not able to do it he will give his feedback. He knows how to prevent injury,” his physio Ishaan Marwaha
He had also missed the 2019 World Championships in Doha as he was recovering from an elbow surgery.
Meanwhile, Indian players have geared up to fight in the second biggest sports tournament in the world, Commonwealth Games. Since 2010, India have been sending a contingent of over 200 players and have been improving its performance consistently.
A strong squad of 215 members and the likes of PV Sindhu, Hima Das are part of it. In the last edition, India had ended the campaign at third position with with a total of 66 medals. In the overall tally at the All-time Commonwealth Games medal table, India stands on 4th position with 503 medals.
