Neeraj Chopra Parts Ways With Legendary Coach Jan Zelezny After Dismal Campaign In World Championship

Hyderabad: Star Indian javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra ended his association with legendary coach Jan Zelezny on Saturday, January 9. Both of them released a joint statement to reveal the development while adoring each other. Zelezny has been a legendary javelin thrower himself and owns a world record of 98.48 meters.

Chopra produced a mixed bag of results under Zelezny. He started on an impressive note with a 90-meter-plus throw in the very first competition working with him in the Doha Diamond League. With this performance, he reached the milestone which he had been trying to achieve for a long time. It placed him amongst the elite stars of the sport.

Chopra said that his experience working with the Czech coach has been deeply special. He praised Zelezny for introducing him to a new range of exercises, which helped him elevate his game.

“Working with Jan opened my eyes to so many new ideas. The way he thinks about technique, rhythm and movement is incredible, and I learnt a lot from every single session we had together,” Chopra said in a release.

"What I'm most proud of 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."

Zelezny also stated that it was a great experience helping Neeraj break the 90-meter barrier.

“Working with an athlete like Neeraj was a great experience. I’m glad we met and were able to work together, and that I helped him break the 90-metre barrier for the first time. Apart from the World Championships, he finished, at worst, second, and that is not a bad record. Unfortunately, the back injury 12 days before Tokyo significantly affected his chances. He has huge potential for the coming years. Our relationship is very positive on the human side as well, and we will continue to stay in touch. We will definitely meet at some training camp or, for example, on holiday with our families in Europe or India,” he explained.

Neeraj also stated that he will be aiming to secure a podium finish in the 2028 Olympics.

"I'm looking forward to what 2026 has in store. I started my preparation in early November. As always, the goal is to stay healthy, and I am already excited to be competing again soon. At the same time, I'm especially looking ahead to the year with the World Championships in 2027, and the big goal beyond that is the Olympic Games in 2028," Chopra explained.