Neeraj, who returned to the Games after missing the Birmingham edition due to injury, opted against taking his final attempt after securing qualification in fifth place with a best throw of 79.61m on his second attempt. Rohit also chose not to take his final throw and finished ninth with 78.37m, while Yash Vir Singh was 10th with 78.36m.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
A lower back injury has been troubling Neeraj since September 2025. The Olympic and world championships gold medallist sustained a lower back problem shortly before the World Athletics Championships in September last year, where he finished eighth. He made a delayed start to the season and had competed only once in the 2026 season, when he featured in the Doha Diamond League in June, finishing fourth with a throw of 85.69m.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Sri Lanka's Rumesh Pathirage, who holds the world lead of 92.62m this season, topped the qualification standings with a superb throw of 82.84m, adapting best to the challenging weather conditions. Two-time world champion Anderson Peters of Grenada finished second with 81.29m, while South Africa's Douw Smit was third after registering 80.64m.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
A lower back injury has been troubling Neeraj since September 2025. The Olympic and world championships gold medallist sustained a lower back problem shortly before the World Athletics Championships in September last year, where he finished eighth. He made a delayed start to the season and had competed only once in the 2026 season, when he featured in the Doha Diamond League in June, finishing fourth with a throw of 85.69m.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The Bahamas' Keyshawn Strachan (78.60m), Trinidad and Tobago's Keshorn Walcott (78.26m) and Nigeria's Chinecherem Nnamdi (75.27m) also progressed.<\/p>\r\n\r\n