Neeraj Chopra hints that his next competition could be World Championship

Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra on Saturday hinted that he would straightaway compete in the World Athletics Championships in Budapest starting August 19 without participating in any other meet in intervening periodHaving returned to action after a onemonth injury layoff the 25yearold won his second consecutive Diamond League title in Lausanne on Friday night with a throw of 8766m He had also won the seasonopening Diamond League meet in Doha on May 5The next competition Budapest will be a big one for me I wanted to win so Im super happy with the results but I also want to go back to training and fix some of the things that I noticed and those are going to make me stronger Chopra said in Lausanne after winning the mens javelin throw eventHe termed Lausanne as a lucky city for himLausanne always treats me well Last year I won and this year too so I look forward to coming again next year and win again said Chopra referring to the win last year which was his maiden Diamond League titleAlso Read Felt a bit nervous still far from my best Neeraj Chopra on Lausanne Diamond League winThe mens javelin throw qualification round of the Budapest World Championships is scheduled for August 25 which is more than 50 days from now If he does not compete in the intervening period Chopra will be going to the World Championships after being part of just two top competitions Doha and Lausanne legs of Diamond LeagueChopra did not specifically mention World Championships as his next competition but there are no big event in Budapest before the August 19 to 27 showpieceThe highest level competition listed in the World Athletics website is the Hungarian Senior National Championships in Budapest on July 78 a B category event like National Championships in IndiaA top official of the Athletics Federation of India AFI told PTI that Chopra has fully recovered from the muscle strain he had sustained last month which led to his skipping of three top events all World Athletics Continental Tour gold label competitionsHe is fully fit I think he will not compete before World Championships Maybe he wants to concentrate more on World Championships the official saidChopra had won a silver in the 2022 World Championships in Eugene USA last year behind Anderson Peters of Grenada and he would be aiming for a gold this timeIf the Indian superstar who has a personal best of 8994m does not compete till the World Championships he will miss the July 21 Monaco leg of the Diamond League where javelin throw will be in the rosterBut since he has cemented his top spot in the Diamond League standings with 16 points after winning Lausanne leg on Friday there should not be any problem in qualifying for the grand finale on September 1617 in Eugene USA where the top eight will compete for the coveted trophyJust after the World Championships there is the Zurich leg of the Diamond League on August 31 which Chopra can competeHe is the reigning Diamond League champion having won the trophy in the 2022 grand finale in Zurich in September lastWith PTI inputs