Neeraj Chopra reacts after qualifying for javelin throw final at Commonwealth Games 2026

Neeraj Chopra almost had an 80 m throw

Two-time Olympic medalist Neeraj Chopra has opened up about his performance at the Commonwealth Games 2026. Chopra finished fifth in the qualification round of the men’s javelin throw event at the ongoing Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

While a throw of 84 metres was termed the qualification benchmark, no player was able to breach that. Chopra qualified for the final with a throw of 79.61m.

After the preliminary round ended, the 2018 Gold Coast champion was asked about his take on his performance. In response to the question, Neeraj Chopra admitted that he’s happy, as he was only looking forward to qualifying for the final and would give his best there.

However, he pointed out that the conditions were not ideal for the javelin throw, as the wind was blowing and the temperature was cold. Due to the wind coming from the front side, the throws were significantly affected.

Also Read: Commonwealth Games 2026: India’s updated schedule for today Day 7 (July 30)

Thus, despite failing to meet the automatic qualification criteria, Chopra expressed his happiness that all three Indian athletes advanced to the final.

Neeraj Chopra said about the qualifying round of the men’s javelin throw event at the Commonwealth Games 2026:

“I’m happy that I’ve reached the final. That was the goal in the qualification round. It was really cold and windy, but the throw was okay, around 79 metres. The objective was to qualify for the final and then give my best there. So, I’m happy with the throw… The conditions were not ideal for javelin throwers. It wasn’t just cold; it was also very windy.”

“The wind wasn’t coming from the front either; it kept changing direction, sometimes blowing from the side, which made it really difficult to judge where to throw. Sometimes we’d think, ‘Okay, I’ll throw there,’ but then the wind would suddenly come from the other side.”

How did other athletes perform in the javelin qualifier?

Not a single javelin thrower was able to secure an attempt over 84 metres. Sri Lanka’s Rumesh Pathirage topped the list in the qualification round with an 82.84 metres, while Grenada’s Anderson Peters finished second (81.29 m). Defending Olympic and Commonwealth champion Arshad Nadeem’s best throw was recorded at 78.63m.

Also Read: How did Neeraj Chopra perform in javelin qualifying round at Commonwealth Games 2026?

However, finishing 9th and 10th in the qualifying round, India’s Rohit Yadav and Yashvir Singh have joined Neeraj Chopra at the men’s javelin throw final. Emphasising everyone’s performance at the event, Chopra added:

“A lot of throwers struggled today. No one achieved the automatic qualification mark. The conditions were tough, but we’re happy that all three Indian athletes have qualified for the final.”

The final of the men’s javelin throw event will be played on Day 8 of the Commonwealth Games, July 31.

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