India's shooting sensation Manu Bhaker penned a message of support for fellow double Olympic medallist Neeraj Chopra after he revealed that he competed in the Diamond League season finale with an injury.
Despite suffering a fracture in his left hand, Neeraj narrowly missed out on winning the Diamond League title before missing it by just one centimetre to finish as runner-up for the second consecutive year with a throw of 87.86m in the season finale in Brussels on Friday.
"Congratulations @Neeraj_chopra1 on a fantastic season in 2024. Wishing you a speedy recovery and more success in the coming years," Manu said on X, replying to Neeraj's post where he disclosed the details of his injury.
Neeraj detailed how he competed in Brussels despite the pain from the fracture on his hand.
"As the 2024 season ends, I look back on everything I’ve learned through the year - about improvement, setbacks, mentality and more.
On Monday, I injured myself in practice and x-rays showed that I had fractured the fourth metacarpal in my left hand. It was another painful challenge for me. But with the help of my team, I was able to participate in Brussels," Neeraj posted on X.
"This was the last competition of the year, and I wanted to end my season on the track. While I couldn’t meet my own expectations, I feel this was a season in which I learned a lot. I am now determined to return, fully fit and ready to go.
I want to thank all of you for your encouragement. 2024 has made me a better athlete and person. See you in 2025."
