Neeraj Chopra gets world record holder Jan Zelezny as new coach
World record holder and former Olympic champion Zelezny will join Chopra at a camp in South Africa later this month.
Athletics
India’s javelin throw superstar Neeraj Chopra has appointed legendary Jan Zelezny of Czechia as his new coach ahead of the 2025 athletics season.
Jan Zelezny, a three-time Olympic and world champion and the current javelin throw world record holder, has long been Chopra's idol. He will join Neeraj Chopra in South Africa during a 31-day training camp in Potchefstroom starting later this month.
“Growing up, I admired Jan’s technique and precision and spent a lot of time watching videos of him,” Chopra said following the announcement.
Zelezny is considered the greatest javelin thrower of the modern era. He won gold medals at the Barcelona 1992, Atlanta 1996 and Sydney 2000 Olympics. His current record of 98.48m was set in Germany in 1996.
“He (Zelezny) was the best in the sport for so many years and I believe that working with him will be invaluable because our throwing styles are similar and his knowledge is unmatched,” Chopra added.
The 58-year-old Jan Zelezny is a former coach of Czechia’s Tokyo 2020 silver medallist Jakub Vadlejch and bronze winner Vítezslav Vesely. He has also coached two-time Olympic and three-time world champion Barbora Spotakova.
"We are getting to know each other more closely and will start in person at a traditional winter camp in South Africa. I believe in his progress, especially in the technical aspect, so that he can continue achieving top positions at the main championships,” said Zelezny.
According to the Czech Athletics Federation website, Neeraj Chopra will train with Zelezny for the next two years and not the entire Olympic cycle.
Jan Zelezny's appointment comes after Chopra’s long-time coach Dr Klaus Bartonietz announced his retirement due to age. In South Africa, Chopra and Zelezny will be joined by physiotherapist Ishaan Marwaha.
Besides defending his world title in Tokyo next year, Chopra will look to breach the elusive 90m mark in the 2025 season and work on his fitness. His season is also expected to include competitions in the Diamond League series.