Double Olympic medalist Neeraj Chopra took to social media on Saturday to share an exciting new development in his career, revealing that he will be working with javelin legend Jan Zelezny as his new coach.
Zelezny, a three-time Olympic gold medalist, World champion, and the current world record holder, has been an inspiration to Chopra for many years.
"Growing up, I admired Jan's technique and precision and spent a lot of time watching videos of him. 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," Chopra was quoted in a release as saying.
With Zelezny as his coach, Neeraj Chopra is eager to enhance his technical skills and continue building on the remarkable achievements that have shaped his career. This partnership also represents a blend of two generations, as the young star seeks to gain insight and expertise from one of the sport’s all-time greats.
"I have already spoken about Neeraj as a great talent many years ago. When I saw him early in his career, I realised great possibilities for top results. I also said that if I should start to coach somebody from outside Czechia, my first choice would be Neeraj. I like his story and I see big potential, as he is young and able to improve. There have been many athletes contacting me for coaching, so for me to take this up means that it is a great honour to have him in my team. We are getting to know each other more closely and will start in person at a traditional winter camp in South Africa. I believe in his progress, especially in the technical aspect, so that he can continue achieving top positions at the main championships," said Zelezny.
Jan Zelezny, who claimed Olympic gold in 1992, 1996, and 2000, holds five of the top ten longest throws in history and set the world record four times, with his current mark of 98.48m achieved in Germany in 1996.
Notably, Zelezny was the coach of Jakub Vadlejch (silver) and Vitezslav Vesely (bronze) during Neeraj Chopra's gold medal win at the Tokyo Olympics. He has also mentored Barbora Špotáková, a two-time Olympic champion and three-time World champion.
