‘All my best wishes to Team India’: Neeraj Chopra ahead of Asian Games

Indian javelin star Neeraj Chopra wished Team India success at the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya. Chopra, a two-time Asian Games gold medallist, will miss the event after suffering an ankle ligament tear that ended his season

New Delhi: Indian javelin star Neeraj Chopra extended his wishes to the Indian contingent participating in the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.

India has sent a 499-member athlete contingent for the Aichi-Nagoya Games with the aim of bringing laurels to the country. India won an unprecedented 107 medals at the 2023 Asian Games, and the aim will be to maintain that strong momentum in 2026 despite the contingent being trimmed from the 655 athletes who represented India at the Hangzhou Games.

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Neeraj, the two-time reigning Asian Games gold medallist, will miss the Aichi-Nagoya Games due to a recent ligament tear in his ankle, but wished the Indian team a strong showing at the continental showpiece.

“All my best wishes to Team India at the Asian Games 2026! I’m sure they will all make us proud,” Neeraj wrote on X.

Neeraj was hoping to compete at the Asian Games, but an ankle ligament tear ended his season in disappointment. He also missed the Diamond League final due to the injury despite having qualified for the event.

“After a period of hard work, I finally felt I was gaining the momentum I had been looking for with a Season’s Best throw in Lausanne. Unfortunately, shortly after, I sustained a ligament tear in my ankle during training. After discussions with my doctor and team, we’ve decided that I will sit out the rest of this season,” Neeraj had written on social media late last month.

“It’s disappointing, especially because I felt close to finding my rhythm. But as they say, setbacks are a part of the journey. My focus now is on recovering well and coming back even stronger. Thank you all for the love and support,” he added.

Neeraj is one of India’s most decorated track and field athletes, having won several major honours. He is a two-time Olympic medallist, with a gold and a silver medal. The Haryana-born athlete has also won the Diamond League final, the World Athletics Championships and the Commonwealth Games.