Neeraj Chopra Leads Trio of Indians into Javelin Throw Final at Commonwealth Games

Javelin Throwers Secure Final Spots

The Commonwealth Games 2026 have seen a promising start for India in athletics. In the men's javelin throw qualification round, three Indian athletes have secured their places in the final. Olympic and former World Champion Neeraj Chopra showcased his familiar prowess to qualify among the top 12.

Alongside Chopra, Rohit Yadav and Yash Veer Singh also successfully advanced to the final. Neeraj Chopra punched his ticket to the final with a throw of 79.61 meters in his second attempt, having registered 76.28 meters in his first. This performance placed him fifth in the qualification round.

Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem qualified with a season's best of 78.63 meters. India's Rohit Yadav secured the ninth position with a throw of 78.37 meters, while Yash Veer Singh took tenth place with a 78.36-meter throw.

Medal Hopes Soar

This Commonwealth Games marks a significant milestone for Neeraj Chopra, as he missed the 2022 Birmingham Games due to injury. He had an impressive senior international career debut by winning the gold medal at the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.

Currently, he will be aiming to win his first international medal since his performance at the Neeraj Chopra Classic. His qualification today sets a strong precedent for him to aim for the podium.

Performance in Other Athletic Events

In the men's triple jump qualification, India's Praveen Chitravel leaped to 16.41 meters and Selva Prabhu Tirumaran jumped 16.26 meters to reach the final. Jamaica's Jordan Scott topped the event with 16.56 meters.

Indian athlete Tejaswin Shankar delivered a commendable performance in the decathlon. He achieved his personal best in the long jump with 7.82 meters and held a position within the top three. However, he finished sixth in the 100-meter race.

In the men's 400 meters semifinals, India's Vishal TK clocked 46.33 seconds to finish sixth, dimming his hopes of reaching the final.

Disappointment in Weightlifting

India's Martina Devi Mabam narrowly missed out on a medal in the women's over 86 kg weightlifting event. After failing her first two attempts in the snatch, she successfully lifted 105 kg on her third try. In the clean and jerk, she lifted 140 kg, but her subsequent attempts at 144 kg and 146 kg were unsuccessful, eliminating her from medal contention.

Prior to the events of the eighth day, India maintained its eighth position in the medal tally with a total of 15 medals, including 3 gold, 9 silver, and 3 bronze.