Top News

New Delhi: Two-time Olympic medallist Neeraj Chopra is back at the Commonwealth Games with one clear objective of winning another gold medal for India. While many fans continue to focus on whether he can throw beyond 90 metres again, the two-time Olympic medallist says his biggest priority is standing on top of the podium.

Chopra, who broke the long-awaited 90-metre barrier with a personal best of 90.23m at the Doha Diamond League last year, said he has never been fixated on reaching a particular distance every time he steps into the throwing circle. According to him, major championships are about beating the best athletes in the world with distance taking second place.

Responding to a PTI query, Chopra said he always aims to improve his throws but does not put unnecessary pressure on himself to cross a specific mark in every competition.

The reigning world champion admitted that weather conditions often play a major role in javelin competitions. Wind and rain can make it difficult to produce long throws which is why consistency becomes even more valuable.

Chopra said his focus is to keep improving while delivering strong performances even when conditions are far from ideal. The 28-year-old said, “I always feel in major Games, the main challenge is winning gold among the best athletes in the world. The second thing is distance. So I feel I need to keep increasing my distance.”

VIDEO | Glasgow, Scotland: India’s star javelin thrower and double Olympic medallist Neeraj Chopra ahead of the men’s javelin clash, said that he is in all readiness to do his best for the nation.

He said, “I always say that whenever I represent my country, that automatically… pic.twitter.com/CucS2oiNyp

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) July 26, 2026

He added that although he has already crossed the 90m mark, improving his personal best remains one of his long-term goals.

The 28-year-old also welcomed the growing competition in Asian men’s javelin. Pakistan’s Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem and Sri Lanka’s Rumesh Pathirage have raised the standard in recent years, something Chopra believes benefits every athlete.

He said tougher competition pushes everyone to perform better and believes the level of javelin in South Asia has improved significantly.

Chopra returns to the Commonwealth Games for the first time since winning gold on his debut at Gold Coast in 2018. He missed the Birmingham edition in 2022 because of injury but says he is now feeling fully fit after working on his recovery and improving his fitness.

With rain and gusty winds expected during the competition, Chopra said he has already trained in similar conditions and knows the mental side of the event will be just as important as the physical challenge.

He also reflected on his memorable gold medal in Australia, calling it the start of his senior international career. Representing India at major multi-sport events, he said, always carries a special feeling.

Chopra will begin his campaign in the men’s javelin qualification on 30 July with India hoping their biggest athletics star can once again deliver a medal on the Commonwealth Games stage.