Manu Bhaker sends special message to Neeraj Chopra after javelin thrower reveals he played with hand fracture

Neeraj Chopra brought an end to his 2024 season with a second-place finish at the Brussels Diamond League.

The 2020 Olympic gold medalist missed out on the top spot by a mere 1 centimetre, finishing with the highest throw of 87.86m. Despite not reaching his peak performance, Neeraj showed tremendous determination by competing in Brussels with a fractured left hand, an injury that he revealed in a heartfelt social media post.

In his post, Neeraj reflected on the lessons he had learned throughout the year and acknowledged that while the season may not have been as fulfilling as he had hoped, it was full of important takeaways that would aid his growth as an athlete.

Neeraj chose to compete through the pain in the final, showing once again the level of commitment similar to the one during Paris Olympics, where he also battled an injury to win a silver medal.

Neeraj’s message didn’t go unnoticed. Indian shooter Manu Bhaker, who had won a bronze at the Paris Olympics, penned a supportive note for the javelin thrower. Manu congratulated Neeraj on his perseverance and the season he had in 2024, even if it wasn’t his best. She also wished him a speedy recovery.

“Congratulations @Neeraj_chopra1 on a fantastic season in 2024. Wishing you a speedy recovery and more success in the coming years. #NeerajChopra,” wrote Bhaker.

90m mark still missing
While Neeraj boasts a stellar CV that includes two Olympic medals, multiple Diamond League titles and the world champion title, one of the key highlights of Neeraj’s career so far has been his relentless pursuit of the 90-meter mark in javelin throw. It remains a milestone that has eluded him, and while he had hoped to breach that barrier this year, the season’s challenges made it difficult to achieve.

In the Paris Olympics, Neeraj achieved the highest throw of 89.45, which was also his only valid throw. While it was enough to win him a silver medal, Neeraj will be aiming to breach the mark next year.