Neeraj pulls out of Switzerland event to take rest after hectic schedule

Chopra had taken part in three events -- in Portugal, Sweden and Finland -- since June 10 and this competition in Lucerne would have been his fourth in nearly three weeks.

New Delhi: Star Indian javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra on Tuesday pulled out of a top-level competition in Switzerland, owing to fatigue.

Chopra was to compete in the Spitzen Leichtathletik event in Lucerne, a World Athletics continental tour silver-level competition where the likes of Olympics gold medal favourite Johannes Vetter of Germany and some other top javelin throwers are taking part.

Chopra had taken part in three events -- in Portugal, Sweden and Finland -- since June 10 and this competition in Lucerne would have been his fourth in nearly three weeks.

It is learnt that Chopra had reached the Swiss city as he had entered his name for the top-class competition but decided to skip the event to give his body enough time to rest after a lot of travel.

The 23-year-old will now proceed to Upsala in Sweden for training and his is expected to take part in the Gateshead (England) Diamond League on July 13. That would be Chopra's biggest event before the Olympics, which opens on July 23.

Besides Vetter, the likes of Andreas Hofmann (Germany), Keshorn Walcott (Trinidad and Tobago) and Bernhard Seifert (Germany), who all are above Chopra in the Road to Tokyo list, were lined up for the event.

Chopra had won bronze in Kuortane Games in Finland on Saturday last with an effort of 86.79m, behind season-leader and 2017 world champion Vetter (93.59m) and 2012 Olympics gold medallist and 2016 Games bronze winner Walcott (89.12m).

That was Chopra's third best performance this season since re-writing his own national record during the Indian Grand Prix 3 with a throw of 88.07m in March at the NIS Patiala. A few days later, he had thrown 87.80m during the Federation Cup at the same venue.

In his previous two competitions in Europe, Chopra had come up with a best effort of 83.18m to win an event in Lisbon, Portugal on June 10 before having a below-par performance of 80.96m at the Karlstad Grand Prix in Sweden on June 22.

The 23-year-old reigning Asian and Commonwealth Games champion had qualified for Tokyo Olympics in January last year in South Africa.

PTI