CWG 2026: Neeraj Chopra Set For Late-night Arrival In Glasgow

Two-time Olympic medallist Neeraj Chopra is set to arrive in Glasgow late on Friday night ahead of the 2026 Commonwealth Games, sources told IANS, with India's biggest sporting star preparing to spearhead the country's athletics campaign. The athlete, who won gold at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, is returning to the event after missing the 2022 Birmingham Games due to injury. He will be aiming to regain the men's javelin title, which is currently held by Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem, the reigning Olympic and Commonwealth Games champion.

After a mixed year in 2025, Neeraj heads to Glasgow with renewed optimism. Although he managed to cross the highly coveted 90-metre mark for the first time in his career, he was disappointed at the World Athletics Championships, where he finished eighth. He returned to competition at the Doha Diamond League earlier this year, where his best throw of 85.69 metres earned him fourth place, a promising result that indicated he was gradually returning to his best form.

The competition in Glasgow is expected to be among the strongest of his career, with Nadeem, former world champion Anderson Peters, and Sri Lanka's Rumesh Pathirage - currently the most successful javelin thrower of 2026 and the athlete who defeated Neeraj in Doha - all expected to challenge for the gold medal.

Neeraj is leading India's contingent at the Commonwealth Games alongside fellow Olympic medallists Mirabai Chanu and Lovlina Borgohain. Athletics is expected to be India's most successful discipline at the Games, and Neeraj is once again carrying the nation's hopes.

The programme for the 23rd Commonwealth Games includes 10 sports for able-bodied athletes and six para sports. India will compete in eight able-bodied sports - athletics, boxing, track cycling, swimming, judo, bowls, weightlifting, and artistic gymnastics - while also sending athletes to participate in five para sports.

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