Neeraj Chopra pens heartfelt farewell note after coach Klaus Bartonietz retires
German biomechanics expert Dr Klaus Bartonietz came on as Neeraj Chopra’s coach in 2019 and helped him become an Olympic and world javelin champion.
Athletics
Neeraj Chopra’s long-serving coach, Dr Klaus Bartonietz, has retired, prompting the Indian javelin throw ace to pen an emotional note, bidding farewell to his cherished mentor.
Two-time Olympic medallist and reigning world champion Chopra has been working with German biomechanics expert Bartonietz, who also doubled up as his coach, since 2019.
“Coach, you are more than just a mentor to me,” Neeraj Chopra wrote in an emotional social media post. “Everything you taught has helped me grow both as an athlete and person. You have gone out of your way to make sure I was mentally and physically prepared for every competition.
“You were one of the quietest in the stands, but your words to me rang the loudest in my ears when I threw. I will miss the pranks and the laughs we shared, but more than anything, I will miss US as a team,” he added.
The Indian athletics star also thanked Bartonietz for standing by him through thick and thin over the past five years, particularly during the tough injury layoffs.
Klaus Bartonietz took up his role as Neeraj Chopra’s coach after the Indian ace parted ways with another German, javelin throw legend Uwe Hohn.
Under Bartonietz’s guidance, Chopra developed into a world class athlete and won the Olympic gold medal at Tokyo 2020, a Diamond League title in 2022 and gold medals at the World Championships and Asian Games in 2023.
The run also included silver medals at the Paris 2024 Olympics and 2022 World Championships, besides several other notable victories at different athletics competitions around the world.
However, Bartonietz, now 75 years old, has opted to retire from coaching in athletics. As per reports, the German has cited his age and family commitments for his nonavailability.
“He (Bartonietz) told us that he had done the best he could and it was time for Neeraj to work with a (new) coach who could elevate his game further,” Athletics Federation of India (AFI) president Adille Sumariwalla was quoted as saying by the Circle of Sport website.