Neeraj Chopra has mutually parted ways with his coach Jan Zelezny after a year of working together, as he gets his preparations underway for the 2026 season.
Neeraj didn't specify a reason for splitting with Zelezny but emphasised on how much he learnt from the Czech, the greatest javelin thrower of all time.
"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.
Two-time Olympic medallist Neeraj also added that he now plans to take control of his own coaching direction, after the split with Zelezny.
"What I'm most proud about 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," he added.
Under Zelezny, Neeraj breached the 90m mark for the first time in his career, as he began 2025 with a 90.23m throw at the Doha Diamond League last May. However, since then, he struggled for any kind of consistency throughout the year.
Happy to finally achieve the 90m mark at the Doha DL. A big thank you to the Indian supporters in the stadium for their encouragement, and to those watching and praying from home. Grateful to my coach, Jan Zelezny and physio Ishaan Marwaha for their constant support. This is just... pic.twitter.com/GSi3KgwbGI
- Neeraj Chopra (@Neeraj_chopra1) May 18, 2025
In fact, outside of the Doha meet, Neeraj only managed one throw above 87m all year - an 88.16m throw that helped him win the Paris Diamond League in June. The year ended on a bad note for Neeraj, as he finished eighth at the World Championships in Tokyo, with a best throw of just 84.03m on the big day. That result ended a streak of 26 consecutive events where Neeraj finished in the top two, and 33 consecutive events where he finished on the podium.
Zelezny too reflected on how despite a tough year, Neeraj only finished outside the top two once when he competed in 2025, and that was due to a back injury that he had sustained in the build-up to the World Championships.
"Working with an athlete like Neeraj was a great experience. I'm glad we met and were able to work together, that I got him to 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," the Czech said.
It will be a busy 2026 for Neeraj, with the Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games coming up later this year, as he looks to bounce back from that disappointment of the Tokyo World Championships.
He said that his eyes are firmly set on next year's World Championships in Beijing, and then the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
With PTI Inputs