India’s javelin star Neeraj Chopra will join a training group led by triple Olympic champion Jan Zelezny this winter, the Czech Athletics Federation (CAS) said on Friday.
Chopra, the 26-year-old Olympic champion in Tokyo in 2021 and silver medallist from Paris this year, asked Czech legend Zelezny to coach him several weeks ago, the CAS added.
“That made me happy because I had already talked about him as a great talent many years ago, at the beginning of his career,” Zelezny said on the CAS website.
Chopra had been coached by German Klaus Bartonietz, who retired this week
“Growing up, I admired Jan’s technique and precision and spent a lot of time watching videos of him,” Chopra said in a statement published by the Sports Authority of India.
“He 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.
“It’s an honour to have Jan by my side as I push towards the next level in my career, and I can’t wait to get started.”
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The 58-year-old Zelezny, who won Olympic gold in Barcelona in 1992, Atlanta in 1996 and Sydney in 2000 and silver in Seoul in 1988, said he would only lead the group for the next two years.
“I am starting cooperation with Chopra. We are getting to know each other at a distance, we will start in person only at the traditional winter camp in South Africa,” he added.
Chopra’s arrival however did not please the Czech Republic’s Jakub Vadlejch, the Tokyo silver medallist. He has decided to leave the group after almost 14 years, the CAS said.
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