Chopra will deliver at big stage again: Anju Bobby George

Legendary athlete Anju Bobby George believes it’s just a matter of time before Indian javelin star Neeraj Chopra gets his mojo back and delivers for the country at the big stage — the Asian Games and 2028 Olympics. 
Recovering from a lower back injury he had sustained before the Tokyo World Championships in September 2025, Chopra made a late start to the season at the Doha Diamond League where he finished fourth with a throw of 85.69m. 
The 28-year-old two-time Olympic medallist has recently confirmed his participation in the Glasgow Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games to be held in Aichi-Nagoya from September 19 to October 4.

“Neeraj, I guess, when the competition toughness goes up, he will respond to that well. He’s an Olympic champion and a world championship medallist. I mean, that’s something no Indian has ever done. Yes, that experience will speak when the time comes,” world championship bronze medallist long jumper Anju told PTI in an interview.
“He has been in the international arena for almost 10 years. We cannot tell that he is not in his great form or he is not doing well. He gave enough during his prime, still he is in his prime. He did a lot for us. Let him enjoy the game now.” 
Chopra had won gold in the last edition of the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, in 2023, with a throw of 88.88m.

In Aichi-Nagoya, Chopra is expected to face rising Sri Lankan star Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage, who breached the 90m mark earlier this year and won two Diamond League titles, including in Doha where Chopra finished fourth.
Meanwhile, Anju strongly believes that her 22-year-old national record in long jump was always breakable and had pinned her hopes on two jumpers — her own student Shaili Singh and Ancy Sojan from her home state Kerala — to obliterate her mark.
“I was expecting that Shaili or Ancy would break my record because in the Asian Games or Commonwealth Games this year, where athletes always perform their best. But since 2021, when Shaili started performing in the international level, I was expecting a good jump from her. At last Ancy could do this. Records are meant to be broken. I guess Shaili will soon come close too or she will break that,” she said.