Neeraj Chopra Reveals He Competed in Diamond League Final With Fractured Left Hand

Javelin star Neeraj Chopra took to social media to reflect on his 2024 season following his second-place finish in the Diamond League Final. The 26-year-old revealed he had competed in Brussels with a fractured fourth metacarpal in his left hand, an injury sustained just days before the event.

“As the 2024 season ends, I look back on everything I’ve learned through the year – about improvement, setbacks, mentality and more. On Monday, I injured myself in practice and an X-ray showed that I had fractured the fourth metacarpal in my left hand. It was another painful challenge for me. But with the help of my team, I was able to participate in Brussels,” Chopra wrote.

As the 2024 season ends, I look back on everything I’ve learned through the year – about improvement, setbacks, mentality and more.

On Monday, I injured myself in practice and x-rays showed that I had fractured the fourth metacarpal in my left hand. It was another painful… pic.twitter.com/H8nRkUkaNM

— Neeraj Chopra (@Neeraj_chopra1) September 15, 2024

Chopra, India’s first Olympic gold medalist in athletics, secured second place with a throw of 87.86m, narrowly missing the top spot by just 1 cm. Anderson Peters clinched victory with a throw of 87.87m, while Chopra closed his season with a series of second-place finishes, including at the Paris Olympics, Doha Diamond League and Lausanne Diamond League.

Reflecting on the year, Chopra acknowledged it was not the season he had hoped for, but said it was filled with valuable lessons. “This was my final competition of the year, and though I didn’t meet my expectations, I gained a lot from the experience. I’m determined to come back stronger in 2025. Thank you for all your support,” he added.