Neeraj Chopra explains how working with javelin legend Jan Zelezny has been different: ‘Changed little things in technique… never missed any session now’

Neeraj Chopra revealed that Bartonietz, a biomechanical expert, had wanted to spend more time with family, which led to them parting ways.

“First of all, it was great to work with Klaus (Bartonietz). I worked with him for almost four-five years. I won the Olympics and World Championship with him. I actually wanted to work more with him, but you know he’s a 76-year-old man and he wanted to spend more time with his family, so I supported that. I gave him one more chance to take back his decision, but I understand that as a coach, he was giving 60 to 70 percent of his time to sport,” Neeraj Chopra said.

Then, he spoke about how working with Zelezny had been tough at the start, but he had gotten used to it.

“With Jan, it’s going really well, in the beginning it was challenging but now it’s going well. It’s helped me, not just in training. He was great when he was competing himself. So he is helping me with other things, like how you have to be strong and compete with a strong mindset. It’s going really well,” said Neeraj Chopra.

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Explaining how things were different with Zelezny compared to working with Bartonietz, the 27-year-old explained that with the German biomechanical expert, he used to do throwing sessions on a day and then do gym work another day. But under Zelezny, he has to do throwing sessions in the morning and then hit the gym for lifting in the afternoons.

“It was a new experience for me. In the beginning it was hard, but after two weeks I really liked it and now I did some really great sessions and everything is going very well. We changed some little things in technique and I feel good. Also I had some problem always in my groin and this time, I have never missed any session, so I feel very confident about it,” Neeraj Chopra said before adding: “I’m ready for tomorrow.”