Neeraj Chopra, the double Olympic medallist, revealed on Thursday that a persistent groin injury has hindered his javelin performance. Despite his gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics, Neeraj secured a silver medal at the Paris Olympics, finishing behind Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem, who set an Olympic record with a 92.97m throw.

Neeraj is considering surgery to address the injury, which has been affecting his ability to achieve longer throws. He plans to consult with doctors for an evaluation, acknowledging that surgery might sideline him temporarily. With few major events on the horizon, he has time to consider his options.

Neeraj, who threw 89.45m in Paris, expressed his frustration, stating, "I have a lot on my mind. When I throw, 60-70% of my focus is on the injury. My speed is reduced, and I am pushing myself." He added, "The doctor recommended surgery, but I didn’t have enough time to decide before or after the World Championships due to Olympic preparations."

Despite the setback, Neeraj became the third Indian to win consecutive Olympic medals, joining PV Sindhu and Sushil Kumar. Manu Bhaker also made history in Paris with two medals in the same edition.

Neeraj, who had been dealing with an adductor niggle, still achieved a season-best throw of 89.45m. He noted the injury's impact on his performance, explaining that he struggles to complete full training sessions due to the risk of exacerbating the injury.

The Lausanne Diamond League on August 22 will determine if Neeraj competes or opts for surgery before then.