AFI shortlists former World Champion Makarov as India’s new javelin throw coach, awaits SAI approval

The Athletics Federation of India has shortlisted former world champion and Olympic medallist Sergey Makarov as the new coach for India’s javelin throwers.

Russia’s Sergey Makarov is a two-time Olympic medallist, winning bronze at the 2000 and 2004 Olympic Games.  | Photo Credit: Getty Images

The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) has shortlisted former World champion and Olympic medallist Sergey Makarov as the new coach for India’s javelin throwers.

“We would want Makarov to work as a coach with the Indian javelin throwers. But this is pending approval by SAI (Sports Authority of India),” AFI chief coach Radhakrishnan Nair told Sportstar.

The decision to bring in a javelin coach comes shortly after Dr Klaus Bartonietz – the long-term coach of two-time Olympic medallist and World Champion Neeraj Chopra, indicated that he would not be continuing in that role for the next Olympic cycle.

Bartonietz, 75, was credited for charting Neeraj’s return from a serious elbow injury and then managing to guide him through a long-term groin injury while still maintaining enough consistency that would see him win a World Championship gold and silver medal to go alongside his two Olympic medals.

Nair said that the new coach, unlike Bartonietz, wouldn’t be specifically working with Neeraj but would be working with all of India’s javelin throwers. “We didn’t get any coach for Neeraj Chopra. We want Makarov to work with all of India’s throwers,” Nair said.

Makarov has plenty of pedigree as a javelin thrower. He is a two-time Olympic medallist, winning bronze at the 2000 and 2004 Olympic Games. He is also the 2003 World Champion and the 2005 World Championship bronze medallist. The Russian has a personal best of 92.61m, placing him eighth on the all-time list. 

It remains to be seen whether Neeraj will work with Makarov or choose another coach for individual attention. However, Bartonietz too, had started his tenure in India working with multiple athletes before eventually working exclusively with Neeraj.

“We got Klaus in 2018 as a biomechanical expert and a javelin coach for the Indian throwers. And he was supposed to support the other throwers – the shot put and discus throwers as well – but in 2020, Neeraj opted for him. So we left him to work with Neeraj,” Nair said.