New Delhi
India’s star javelin thrower and double Olympic medallist, Neeraj Chopra, has appointed legendary javelin thrower Jan Zelezny as his new coach, marking an exciting new phase in his career. The announcement came Saturday, with Chopra expressing his admiration for Zelezny, who is a three-time Olympic and World Champion and holds the world record of 98.48m.
Chopra has long regarded Zelezny as a role model. “Growing up, I admired Jan’s technique and precision, watching many of his performances. Working with him will be invaluable because our styles are similar, and his knowledge is unmatched. It’s an honour to have him by my side as I push towards the next level,” Chopra shared.
Under Zelezny’s mentorship, Chopra aims to refine his technique and build on his achievements, including his historic gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics. Zelezny, who has previously coached Olympic medallists Jakub Vadlejch and Vítězslav Veselý, as well as two-time Olympic Champion Barbora Špotáková, shared his enthusiasm for coaching Chopra. “I saw Neeraj’s potential early in his career and thought, if I ever coached someone outside of Czechia, it would be him. He has big potential and is capable of further improvement,” Zelezny stated.
The two will begin training together at a winter camp in South Africa, where Zelezny plans to focus on technical advancements to help Chopra continue achieving top placements in global championships.
