Two-time Olympic medallist Neeraj Chopra has mutually parted ways with his Czech coach Jan Zelezny after a one-year stint. Chopra praised Zelezny's mentorship, while the coach recalled helping the Indian javelin star breach the 90m barrier.
Two-time Olympic medallist and Indian Javelin star Neeraj Chopra has parted ways with his Czech coach Jan Zelezny, according to Olympics.com.
Chopra ended his ties with coach Jan Zelezny after a year-long stint that was marked by mixed competitive results. The report said that the exact reason for the split wasn't revealed, and both agreed to part ways mutually on good terms.
Mutual Respect Despite Split
"Working with Jan opened my eyes to so many new ideas," Neeraj Chopra said, according to Olympics.com. "The way he thinks about technique, rhythm, and movement is incredible, and I learned a lot from every single session we had together," he added.
The Indian Javelin star added that he is proud of his friendship with someone who has been his idol all of his life. "What I'm most proud about is the friendship I've built with someone who has been my idol all my life. Jan is not only the best javelin thrower of all time, but also one of the best human beings I have ever met," Chopra said.
Zelezny recalled that Chopra breached the 90-meter barrier for the first time. "Working with an athlete like Neeraj was a great experience. I'm glad we met and were able to work together, that I got him to break the 90-metre barrier for the first time," Zelezny said, according to Olympics.com.
"Our relationship is very positive also on the human side and we will continue to stay in touch, we will definitely meet at some training camp or, for example, on vacation with our families in Europe or India," he added.
Coaching Context and Changes
Neeraj and Zelezny were originally slated to work together until the end of the 2026 season. Neeraj was earlier coached by German biomechanics expert Dr Klaus Bartonietz, who guided him to the gold medal in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and a silver at Paris 2024 as well as the World Championships title in 2023, the report said. Neeraj linked with Zelezny after Bartonietz stepped away from his role due to old age towards the end of 2024, it added.
A Year of Mixed Results
During his stint, Zelezny made a few technical adjustments to Neeraj's technique, which helped the Indian star to breach the 90m mark for the first time in his career at the 2025 Doha Diamond League in May. Under him, Neeraj also won the Paris Diamond League, Ostrava Golden Spike and the inaugural NC Classic at home. Chopra also finished second at the Janusz Kusocinski Memorial and Diamond League Final.
Chopra had a disappointing eighth-place finish at the Tokyo World Championships. The Indian was competing at the tournament with a back injury. Neeraj ended his season to focus on his recovery. (ANI)
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