Returning to action after nearly two months, Olympic Games champion Neeraj Chopra was jittery before the first of his six javelin throws at the Lausanne leg of the Diamond League on June 30.
“Because of the injury, there was a question mark in my mind whether I am 100 per cent fit or not... whether I have to push myself or not. Overall, my fitness level was a bit low (in Lausanne),” a candid Neeraj said during a virtual media interaction on Monday.
He admitted that owing to the injury lay-off he might have gained a kilo or two. “But that was not the reason why I was slow in my first throw. It was solely to do with the comeback from injury.”
Neeraj’s last performance was in the Doha Diamond League on May 5 and then he sustained a muscle injury while training. Still, he was good enough to finish first in Lausanne with a throw of 87.66 metres. It was his second finish on top — he came first in Doha too — in this season’s Diamond League.
“I will not say I am happy but I am satisfied with my throw (which is not among his 10-career best performances) under the circumstances — weather and that I was coming back from injury,” Neeraj added.
After the Lausanne meet, Neeraj said his next tournament would be the World Athletics Championships in Budapest from August 19-27. It means he would be giving a couple of international events a miss.
“I need to improve my fitness, work on it (fitness) through training so that I can give my best at the World Championships and fulfil the dream of winning gold there,” he said.
Neeraj won a silver in the last edition in Eugene in 2022 with Anderson Peters of Grenada taking home the gold.
The 25-year-old has a packed schedule from here on with World Championships and Diamond League Finals in September followed by the Asian Games in September-October.
“I have to go with 100 per cent fitness in these events. If I am not physically fit, I will also not be mentally ready. Not only the physical aspect the mental aspect is also important,” he said.
“There is a lot of time now to work on my fitness and be ready for the World Championships and other major events. I have to go fresh to Budapest. I will work hard and do whatever is required for the gold there.”
However, Neeraj has not decided on his participation in the Monaco leg of the Diamond League scheduled for July 21. “There is still time before Monaco.”
