Neeraj Chopra’s Commonwealth Games story now spans three editions, though he has only actually competed in two of them.
Gold Coast 2018: a breakthrough gold
Chopra announced himself on the big stage at just 20 years old, leading from his very first throw of 85.50m and eventually improving to a season’s best 86.47m to win gold comfortably ahead of Australia’s Hamish Peacock. It remains his only Commonwealth Games title.
Birmingham 2022: forced out by injury
As reigning champion, Chopra was expected to defend his title in Birmingham, but a groin injury picked up at the World Championships in Eugene – where he won silver – ruled him out just two days before the Games began. Rhit Yadav and DP Manu competed in his place.
Glasgow 2026: return and silver
Eight years after his gold and four years after his forced absence, Chopra returned to Commonwealth Games competition at Scotstoun Stadium. Throwing into strong headwinds, he opened with 80.97m before improving to a season-best 85.83m in round two – a mark that held up for silver but wasn’t enough to catch Sri Lanka’s Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage, who produced a career-best 89.75m on his only valid throw of the night.
The result gave India a historic double podium, with training partner Yash Vir Singh taking bronze with a personal-best 85.41m on his final attempt – a result covered in more detail in our full breakdown of India’s Glasgow 2026 medal tally. Notably, defending champion Arshad Nadeem of Pakistan didn’t even make the top-eight cut, one of several shock results of these Games.
Across two Commonwealth Games appearances, Chopra now holds one gold and one silver – a modest medal count for an athlete who is also an Olympic and World champion, largely because injury and a thin CWG athletics calendar have limited his opportunities. For where he ranks among India’s all-time Commonwealth greats, see our list of India’s most successful Commonwealth Games athletes.