Neeraj Chopra in Peak Condition for Paris Olympics Medal, Says IIS Expert

Neeraj Chopra, India's star javelin thrower, is in peak physical condition and poised to secure a medal at the upcoming Paris Olympics, according to Spencer Mackay, head of strength and conditioning at the Inspire Institute of Sports (IIS).

Chopra, 26, underwent rehabilitation at IIS for an elbow injury prior to his historic Olympic gold medal victory in Tokyo 2021. Despite a recent adductor niggle, Mackay emphasizes that Chopra's past injuries are no longer a concern.

"He is in excellent physical condition and well-prepared," Mackay stated. "When the Olympic finals begin, Neeraj will be in a fantastic position to win another medal for the country."

Chopra resumed competitions in June after a month-long break, claiming gold at the Paavo Nurmi Games in Finland. He also secured a gold medal at the National Federation Cup Senior Athletics Championships in Bhubaneswar.

Mackay highlights the importance of sports science and rehabilitation in modern athletic training. "India has a lot of scope to enhance the performance of their athletes," he said. "As long as the scope for sports training supplemented with sports science, development of coaches, the scope for India to massively increase the medal haul come the next Olympics games is going to be clear."

IIS has become a hub for Indian athletes seeking injury recovery and rehabilitation. Mackay emphasizes the tailored approach to rehab programs based on individual athlete data and psychological factors.

"We also have in mind the psychological aspect of an athlete suffering a specific injury and the way he or she suffered it in mind," Mackay explained. "If we have more contact with them, we can do more based on the capability of the athlete and how much we have been able to expose him or her to development over time being a key component of the rehabilitation process during the injury situation."

Chopra's absence from the Paris Diamond League on Sunday indicates his focus on the Olympics. Mackay remains confident in Chopra's abilities and the support provided by IIS. "We are happy to be in a situation where we have been able to affect athlete rehabilitation in a positive way and to see them returning back to the performance level they had before, is an incredibly rewarding position."

Tags: #NeerajChopra, #ParisOlympics, #JavelinThrow, #IIS, #SportsScience