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Indian javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra, the reigning Olympic and World Championships gold medalist, is set to compete in his third competition of the season at the Ostrava Golden Spike athletics meet in Czechia on May 28. This World Athletics Continental Tour Gold label event marks the 63rd edition of the prestigious competition.Chopra's season began with a second-place finish at the Doha Diamond League on May 11, where he threw 88.36 meters, just shy of the winner, Jakub Vadlejch. Despite battling fatigue at the Federation Cup in Bhubaneswar, Chopra secured a gold medal with a throw of 82.27 meters.At Ostrava, Chopra will face a formidable lineup in the men's javelin throw, including Vadlejch, the home favorite, and Anderson Peters of Grenada, a former World Champion. Peters finished third behind Vadlejch and Chopra in Doha.Chopra was scheduled to compete in Ostrava last year but withdrew due to a muscle injury. Vadlejch won the title with a throw of 81.93 meters.In addition to Chopra, Vadlejch, and Peters, the Ostrava meet will feature other global stars such as Marcell Jacobs of Italy, the reigning Olympic 100m champion, Gianmarco Tamberi, the Olympic co-champion in men's high jump, and Mondo Duplantis of Sweden, the world record holder and Olympic gold medalist in pole vault.After Ostrava, Chopra is expected to remain in Europe for the Paavo Nurmi Games in Turku, Finland, on June 18. This Continental Tour Gold event is a top-tier World Athletics competition. In 2022, Chopra won a silver medal at the Paavo Nurmi Games with a throw of 89.30 meters, his personal best at the time. He later broke his own record with a throw of 89.94 meters at the Stockholm leg of the Diamond League, which remains his national record.Chopra's participation in these competitions is part of his preparation for the Paris Olympics 2024, scheduled for July 26 to August 11.

Indian Olympic Association's (IOA) decision to appoint Sharath Kamal as the flag bearer for the 2024 Paris Olympics has sparked controversy, with legendary athlete Anju Bobby George questioning the omission of Neeraj Chopra.George, a Commonwealth and Asian Games medalist, took to Instagram to express her surprise at the decision, stating that Chopra, the reigning Olympic champion in javelin throw, should have been considered. She questioned the IOA's rationale, especially since the federations, including table tennis, have yet to announce their Olympic teams.Sharath Kamal, a 10-time national table tennis champion, has an impressive record, including 13 Commonwealth Games medals and two Asian Games medals. However, Chopra's Olympic gold medal and world ranking of 88 make him a more deserving candidate for the honor, according to George.The IOA has also appointed Olympic bronze medalist MC Mary Kom as the chef de mission for the Paris Games. Kom, a six-time world champion and five-time Asian champion, is the first female boxer to win an Olympic medal for India.Gagan Narang, a bronze medalist in the 10m air rifle event at the 2012 London Olympics, has been appointed to head the shooting village operations for the Paris Olympics. Shooting has not produced an Indian medalist since London 2012, despite earning India its first individual Olympic medal in Beijing 2008.The Olympic Games will take place from July 26 to August 11, 2024. The Indian contingent will be led by a distinguished team of officials, including Sharath Kamal, MC Mary Kom, and Gagan Narang.