Olympic Champion Neeraj Chopra has parted ways with his coach Jan Zelezny, the javelin star confirmed on Saturday.
Chopra has had a successful working partnership with the javelin legend as he crossed the 90m hurdle at the Doha Diamond League earlier in 2025. It was his first competition under the tutelage of Zelezny.
Chopra spoke with gratitude about his stint with Zelezny and hailed the opportunity to learn from a legend whom he has revered since childhood.
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“Working with Jan opened my eyes to so many new ideas. The way he thinks about technique, rhythm, and movement is incredible, and I learned a lot from every single session we had together,” Neeraj said.
Zelezny lavished praise on Chopra and assured that he will remain in contact with his apprentice, even after he walks away from contractual obligations.
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“Working with an athlete like Neeraj was a great experience," he said. "I'm glad we met and were able to work together, that I got him to break the 90-meter 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 also on the human side and we will continue to stay in touch, we will definitely meet at some training camp or, for example, on vacation with our families in Europe or India."
Even though Chopra had another landmark year in 2025, his season ended with disappointment at the World Championships. Entering the tournament as the title holder, the Indian finished eighth, his worst finish since he started competing in senior events.
Who is Jan Zelezny?
Zelezny is often regarded as the greatest in the Open Era.
The Czech still holds the world record of the sport that he set in 1996, when he threw the javelin a distance of 98.48m.
He won gold in the World Championship titles in 1993, 1995 and 2001.
Zelezny also boasts of winning three Olympic gold medals in Barcelona, Atlanta, and Sydney. Whereas, he won the silver in Seoul in 1988.
The former athlete also holds the record for the fourth, fifth and sixth best performances, and during his career, he broke the world record four times.
Neeraj Chopra's 2025 achievements and records listed
Breaching the 90-m mark (May)
Chopra finished second in the Doha Diamond League back in May. It was a major achievement for the Indian star as he finally breached the 90m-mark at the event. His throw was recorded at 90.23m.
While the Olympic silver medalist failed to finish at the top, he finally checked a major milestone of his illustrious career and became only the 25th athlete in history to cross 90m.
Neeraj Chopra Classic (July)
In July, Chopra participated in the inaugural edition of the Neeraj Chopra Classic, a tournament named after him at Bengaluru's Shri Kanteerava Stadium. At the Indian event, Chopra finished first.
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Paris Diamond League (July)
Chopra reclaimed the top position in the Paris edition of the Diamond League in July as he recorded a throw of 88.16m. He then added one more title at the Ostrava Golden Spike, with a highest throw of 85.29m.
Zurich Diamond League Final (August)
The Tokyo Olympic Gold medalist secured a podium finish yet again in the Diamond League final in Zurich in August as he finished second with the highest throw of 85.01m.
Neeraj Chopra schedule in 2026
Here is a projected schedule for Neeraj Chopra in 2026, based on the Diamond League fixture line-up:
| Date | Event | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| May 8, 2026 | Doha Diamond League | Doha, Qatar |
| June 4, 2026 | Golden Gala (DL) | Rome, Italy |
| June 26, 2026 | Paris Diamond League | Paris, France |
| July 4, 2026 | Prefontaine Classic (DL) | Eugene, USA |
| Aug 2026 | Commonwealth Games* | Glasgow, Scotland |
| Aug 27, 2026 | Weltklasse Zürich (DL) | Zurich, Switzerland |
| Sept 4–5, 2026 | Diamond League Final* | Brussels, Belgium |
| Sept/Oct 2026 | Asian Games | Nagoya, Japan |
* Diamond League Final appearance is subject to Neeraj Chopra qualifying for it
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