Neeraj Chopra to train with Jan Zelezny only on need-to-basis, says athletics chief Adille Sumariwalla

India's javelin throw superstar Neeraj Chopra will not train with his new coach Jan Zelezny throughout the year and will look for guidance only when needed, outgoing Athletics Federation of India (AFI) president Adille Sumariwalla said on Tuesday.

Neeraj Chopra appointed the legendary Jan Zelezny of Czechia as his new coach ahead of the 2025 athletics season.

Sumariwalla, who was replaced by Asian Games gold-winning former shot putter Bahadur Singh Sagoo as the new AFI president on Tuesday, asserted that Neeraj Chopra is now at a stage in his career where he can benefit from specialised expertise in different areas.

"There are different parts to coaching - strength conditioning, technique, biomechanics etc. Normally one coach does not look after all of these and help is taken from others. These days, there is no coach in the world which is attached to one athlete for 365 days," Sumariwalla was quoted saying by PTI.

"Zelezny will come when he needs to come even if he is not 365 days with Neeraj and that is the way the world is. Neeraj has now reached that stage in his life where he needs to take assistance from different segments - strength training, conditioning, biomechanics, running and throwing. That is the way in the future for all the events," Sumariwalla added.

Jan Zelezny, a three-time Olympic champion and the current javelin throw world record holder (98.48m), has always been Chopra's idol.

"There were a lot of consultations. A lot of coaches were talked to. Neeraj himself talked to a lot of coaches and we finally decided on Jan Zelezny," Sumariwalla said on the Czech javelin legend’s appointment.

Zelezny replaced Neeraj Chopra’s long-time coach and German biomechanics expert Dr Klaus Bartonietz, who announced his retirement due to age last year.

Apart from gold in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, Chopra also won silver at the Paris 2024 Olympics with Bartonietz as his coach.

Unlike Bartonietz, who worked with Neeraj Chopra nearly throughout the year, Zelezny will offer the Indian javelin throw star guidance as and when required.

Widely regarded as one of the greatest javelin throwers of all-time, Zelezny won gold medals at the Barcelona 1992, Atlanta 1996 and Sydney 2000 Olympics. He set the world record with a 98.48m throw in the Jena Zeiss Meeting in Germany in 1996.

Zelezny was the former coach of Czechia’s Tokyo 2020 silver medallist Jakub Vadlejch and bronze medallist Vítezslav Vesely. The 58-year-old has also coached two-time Olympic and three-time world champion Barbora Spotakova.