By Sushant Singh
India’s golden boy Neeraj Chopra made a solid return to competition, opening his 2026 season with a best throw of 85.69m to finish fourth at the Doha Diamond League.
Competing for the first time in 274 days since the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Chopra showed encouraging signs despite facing a world-class field featuring several 90m throwers.
The Indian star began his campaign with a foul before quickly settling into rhythm. He breached the Commonwealth Games 2026 qualification standard of 82.61m with his second attempt of 82.77m and later improved to 85.69m in the third round, which currently stands as the best throw by an Indian javelin thrower this season.
His series: X, 82.77m, 85.69m, 83.45m, X
Chopra took only five attempts, as only the top three athletes after five rounds were awarded a sixth and final throw.
While Chopra narrowly missed the Top 3, the outing marked an important step in his comeback and provided valuable competition exposure ahead of a packed season that includes the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games.
Meanwhile, 23-year-old Sri Lankan sensation Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage continued his stunning 2026 season, defeating an elite javelin field to win the Doha Diamond League with a massive 88.68m throw, produced in the fourth round. Anderson Peters finished second with 86.38m, while Curtis Thompson took third place with 85.99m.