Neeraj Chopra has revealed that he featured in the Diamond League 2024 finals with a hand injury on Saturday. Despite playing with a fresh injury, the star Indian athlete missed out on the title in Brussels by just 0.01m to Andeson Peters.
After the heartbreak, the 26-year-old Neeraj shared a picture of an X-ray of his left palm which clearly shows a big crack in his metacarpals. The Paris Olympics silver medalist added that he injured his hand during practice on September 9 and said that it was a 'painful challenge' during the finals on Saturday.
"As the 2024 season ends, I look back on everything I’ve learned through the year - about improvement, setbacks, mentality and more," Neeraj wrote in his X post on Sunday. "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 challenge for me. But with the help of my team, I was able to participate in Brussels."
Neeraj also talked about his disappointment for not meeting his expectations in the 2024 season after another second-place finish in a big tournament. He missed out on top spots in the Paris Olympics and three Diamond League events (Doha, Lausanne and Brussels) in 2024.
"This was the last competition of the year, and I wanted to end my season on the track. While I couldn’t meet my own expectations, I feel this was a season in which I learned a lot. I am now determined to return, fully fit and ready to go. I want to thank all of you for your encouragement. 2024 has made me a better athlete and person. See you in 2025. Jai Hind," Neeraj added further.
Neeraj's best throw of the 2024 season came in Lausanne Diamond League last month where he registered a brilliant 89.49m throw to finish second to Anderson Peters. He also reached 89.45m at the Paris Olympics to claim India's only silver and his second medal in the Summer Games.
