File photo of Neeraj Chopra.
| Photo Credit: The Hindu

Two-time Olympic medal-winning javelin throw star Neeraj Chopra has revealed that his new coach Jan Zelezny has figured out mistakes in his technique and would now make some adjustments to his throwing routine to achieve the 90m mark that the Indian star is pursuing for a while. The 26-year-old, while speaking to India Today, also opened up about his hush-hush wedding to former tennis player Himani Mor last month, saying that their relationship was a casual friendship at first “but slowly we fell in love”.

Chopra has been trying hard to hit the 90m mark. His personal best stands at 89.94m which was achieved in 2022. His season begins in May with the Diamond League and would mark the competitive start of his partnership with Zelezny, a former Olympic and world champion who also holds the world record (98.48m).

“I believe a 90 throw is happening soon. He (Jan Zelezny) has made some technical adjustments in my game,” said Chopra.

“He (Zelezny) feels that his tweaks would help me. I’ve been able to understand what he expects from me. One of the mistakes that he told me about was how I was throwing very low even in Paris and that I was leaning towards the left.

“If I am able to incorporate those changes, I think I will get a lot better,” he added.

But the Panipat-lad insisted that the milestone is still not as important as winning medals for the country.

“I want to do it myself. But, going to a competition and winning a medal against people who have previously thrown 90 meters is even more important. There’s no point in throwing 90 meters and not winning.

“What if everyone throws 90 there and despite throwing 90, you don’t win? I want to throw more than 90 meters; everyone believes I can do that. Klaus (Bartoniet, his former coach) believed it, Zelezny believes it.

“It will come off if I can fix the javelin line. I am giving my 100 percent, and that is important for me,” he added.

He also spoke about the groin injury that marred his season last year. Chopra has consulted a doctor recommended by Zelezny in Prague.

“Groin injury has been an issue for a long time. I wasn’t able to give 100 percent in my technique because of my injury. I went to Zelezny’s doctor in Prague, and he suggested some exercises. I am working on that, so hopefully it helps, and I am able to give my 100 percent,” he said.

We slowly fell in love

Opening about his marriage that stunned everyone, Chopra said both he and Mor wanted it to be an intimate affair and that’s why they chose a town near Solan.

“I knew her. She also comes from a family with a sports background, and so do we. Her father and mother were kabaddi players. Her brothers were boxers and wrestlers,” Chopra said.

“She herself was a tennis player, but after picking up injuries, she focused more on her studies,” he added.

Shedding light on how their relationship developed over a period of time, Chopra said being athletes, they could connect easily.

“Because our families had a sports background, we had the opportunity to meet. Our conversations began like that — just two athletes talking. It was casual at first, but slowly, we fell in love,” he said.

Their wedding pictures, which Chopra shared on social media a couple of days after the ceremony, took the internet by storm.

Although only family members were invited for the nuptials, Chopra said most of his close circle of friends was aware that he was tying the knot and he would soon be planning a celebration with those who couldn’t be a part of the function.

“…Families and friends knew. I wanted to return to training because the season was about to start. I thought it would only be possible after the season. Inviting everyone would have taken time,” he explained. 

Two-time Olympic medallist and star javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra is now married. Taking to Instagram on Sunday, Neeraj shared the news to his fans with a heartfelt note. “Starting new chapter of life with my family. Grateful for every blessing that brought us to this moment together. Bound by love, happily ever after,” Neeraj captioned the post and shared a series of pictures on Instagram, revealing the identity of his life partner. Neeraj’s wife, Himani, is currently studying in USA, as per the athlete’s uncle. The pair got married in the presence of close friends and family members, in a private function.

Among the viral images, one stood out — Neeraj’s mother blessing him — while performing a ritual.

Neeraj’s uncle also confirmed that there will also be a reception party for the marriage.

On professional front, Neeraj will be bringing a Continental Tour Javelin-Only competition to the country. The upcoming event has also been endorsed by the World Athletics and the Athletics Federation of India.

However, the date of the event is yet to be finalised, with reports claiming that it will be held in May this year. Some top men’s and women’s javelin throwers will headline the event, including India’s golden boy Neeraj.

Speaking on the event, Chopra said, “It has been a longstanding dream of mine to organise and bring a world-class javelin competition to India. With the help of JSW Sports and the Athletics Federation of India, we are making this happen. I am sure that my fellow athletes and the fans in India will both create an experience that will be spoken about for a long time. I am excited to see how big we can make this,” as quoted from a release by JSW Sports Media.

Chopra is keen to make the event an annual fixture in the world athletics calendar, with an eye on adding more track and field disciplines to the meeting.

Parth Jindal, founder, JSW Sports said, “I would like to thank the Athletics Federation of India and their leadership for giving us this fantastic opportunity of bringing a world class event to India. The AFI has been doing some incredible work to raise the profile of track and field sports in the country, and the manner in which they have come forward to support this event is a testament to their endeavours.”

Star javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra will not train with his coach Jan Zelezny throughout the year and seek his guidance only when required, outgoing Athletics Federation of India (AFI) president Adille Sumariwalla said on Tuesday. Chopra roped in three-time Olympic champion and world record holder Zelezny (98.48m) as his coach in November 2024, setting the ball rolling for the upcoming season, where he will defend his world title. Zelezny, 58, is widely considered the greatest javelin thrower of the modern era. The Czech won three Olympic gold medals (1992, 1996, 2000)and as many world titles (1993, 1995, 2001) in his illustrious career.

Chopra till recently worked with German biomechanics expert Klaus Bartonietz, who also doubled up as his coach. Bartonietz was more or less with Chopra throughout the year.

“There are different parts to coaching — strength conditioning, technique, biomechanics etc. Normally one coach does not look after all of these and help is taken from others. These days, there is no coach in world which is attached to one athlete for 365 days,” Sumariwalla said on the opening day of the AFI AGM.

“Zelezny will come when he needs to come even if he is not 365 days with Neeraj and that is the way the world is. Neeraj has now reached that stage in his life where he needs to take assistance from different segments — strength training, conditioning, biomechanics, running and throwing. That is the way in future for all the events.” Chopra, who won a historic gold in the Tokyo Olympics and a silver in Paris Games under Bartonietz, is currently training in South Africa without Zelezny.

“There were a lot of consultations. A lot of coaches were talked to. Neeraj himself talked to a lot of coaches and we finally decided on Jan Zelezny,” said the 67-year-old Sumariwalla said about the roping in of the Czech legend.

Sumariwalla, who is a member of the powerful executive board of the World Athletics, ended his 12-year tenure as AFI chief. Asian Games gold-winning former shot putter Bahadur Singh Sagoo replaced him in the key post.

Asked about the aspects of the sport the AFI would have done better during his tenure, he said, “I would have liked more improvement in doping, over-age issue and overtraining and early specialisation of young athletes. I hope the new team will give enough attention on these issues. “We have laid the foundations and the eco system. I am sure the new team will take to much higher level. We are in the right path and we have to tweak the strategy from time to time depending on the internal and external environment. The direction of the AFI is right.” India is one of the top offenders in the world when it comes to doping and, Sumariwalla said, “The AFI is doing whatever it can do within its legal parameters. We can do two things — education and policing. This has to be done at the state and district level where the problem is.

“We have been educating the athletes at every national events. I myself have conducted sessions on doping.

“Regarding policing, we give intelligence to NADA, WADA and AIU. We have been requesting NADA from time to time to add more and more name to the Registered Testing Pool and do more out of competition testing.” He said a detailed analysis was done by the AFI after the below-par show at the Paris Olympics where most athletes, except for Neeraj Chopra, under-performed.

“We have started taking action on that. We have rejigged the (men’s) 4x400m relay team as well as the coaches. We have brought is a Jamaican coach, we have not renewed the women’s coach.” He did not commit anything when asked how many track and field athletes will compete in the upcoming National Games in Uttarakhand.

“I am not sure how many will take part. It’s a very crucial year, we have World Indoors, World Relays, Asian and World Championships. The calendar has been created for the athletes to peak during the World Championships. We will do whatever is necessary to ensure this.

“I can’t say what will happen. We will do whatever is the best interest of the country as well as the athletes.” Asked what role he will play in the AFI in future, now that he is no longer its office-bearer, Sumariwalla said, “As far as my role is concerned, I am not going anywhere, I am here to assist Bahadur (president), certain roles like dealing with World Athletics, IOA, IOC and Ministry.

“I will continue to assist in these areas under Bahadur, including being the AFI spokesperson.” 

File photo of Neeraj Chopra and Arshad nAdeem© AFP

Gold eluded him and so did the 90m mark but Neeraj Chopra was the undisputed star of Indian athletics for yet another year even as the sport itself continued a long-standing battle with dope cheats while trying to assert itself internationally by bringing big-ticket events to the country. The 26-year-old javelin throw superstar failed to defend his Olympic gold but became the most successful Indian athlete across disciplines in individual sports with his silver medal in the Paris Games. He also finished second in the prestigious Diamond League Finale.

Creditably, he achieved both the accolades while carrying an injury. A nagging adductor niggle (a problem related to thigh muscles) troubled him in the run-up to Paris Olympics and a fracture in his left hand hit him ahead of DL Finale. Chopra later said that his injury is fine.

He was beaten for the Olympic gold by Pakistani Arshad Nadeem, who surprised the world with a Games record throw of 92.97m.

In the DL Finale, Anderson Peters of Grenada, who was struggling after back-to-back world crowns in 2019 and 2022, completed his comeback by winning the title.

Lessons for Chopra

Chopra and those who have followed his growth have been obsessed with the 90m mark. There is never an interaction where the Panipat-based lad is not asked when and how he would breach it.

He came reasonably close twice this year, one occasion being the Olympic finals, but it was not to be.

India’s golden boy, whose personal best is 89.94m, has gone for a new coach keeping in mind the World Championships next year.

Steering him the coming season would be none other than world record holder and three-time Olympic gold-medallist Jan Zelezny, without doubt the greatest javelin thrower in history.

This was after Chopra parted ways with 75-year-old German biomechanics expert Klaus Bartonietz with whom he was associated for five years, winning a gold and a silver each in the Olympics and the World Championships.

His season still some months away, Chopra is resting and recuperating for now but he is well aware that every move he makes after this break would be closely tracked.

Likes of Sable and men’s 4x400m quartet disappoint

India’s top 3000m steeplechaser Avinash Sable failed to go beyond winning medals at the Asian Games and Commonwealth Games. He finished 11th in the Paris Olympics final.

Another highlight for him was making it to the Diamond League Finale, after a few higher-ranked competitors pulled out. But he couldn’t really set the stage on fire and ended up in ninth place.

Another world class athlete, long jumper Murali Sreeshankar missed the Olympics due to a knee injury and subsequent surgery.

The men’s 4x400m relay team set an Asian record of 3:00.25 at the Tokyo Olympics and followed it up by challenging USA’s aura of invincibility at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest where another Asian record of 2:59.05 was set.

The Athletics Federation of India had high hopes of the relay team achieving something big at the Paris Olympics but team failed to even reach the finals.

Hall of Shame

The menace of doping did not leave Indian athletics and the country’s credibility of its continued to dwindle internationally.

The World Anti-Doping Agency named India as the second worst after Russia in a 10-year global study of positive doping cases by minors. Among the stars to let the country down was 2016 Rio Olympian quarter-miler Nirmala Sheoran, who copped an eight-year ban for a second dope offence.

Hammer thrower Rachna Kumari was banned for 12 years for failing multiple dope tests conducted by the international federation’s Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU). Distance runner G Lakshmanan (for whereabouts failure) and sprinter Himani Chandel were handed handed two and four-year bans respectively.

Rising javelin thrower DP Manu failed a dope test ahead of Paris Olympics., while former national record holding race walker Bhawna Jat was handed a 16-month ban for ”whereabouts failure”.

‘Middle distance runner Parvej Khan, who made headlines with his exploits at the NCAA circuit in the USA, also failed a dope test along with Asian Games 4x400m relay gold-winning quarter-miler VK Vismaya.

National Record Breakers

There were some national records broken too. Sable continued to be his own competitor in men’s 3000m steeplechase, clocking 8:09.91sec during the Paris Diamond League for a new national mark.

Akshdeep Singh (men’s 20km race walk), Gulveer Singh (men’s 5,000m and 10000m), KM Deeksha (women’s 1500m), and Abha Khatua (women’s shot put) were also among those who bettered national records in their respective events.

Global events come to India

India will host the World Athletics Continental Tour bronze level meet in Bhubaneswar on August 10, 2025.

The Continental Tour is an annual series of international track and field competitions, which forms the second tier of one-day meetings after the prestigious Diamond League.

This will be the first global athletics meet to be hosted by India after the international permit meets in the late 1980s and early 1990s, and the World Half Marathon Championships in 2004.

India has also submitted its bid for the 2028 World U20 Championships. The country last year expressed its interest to host the 2029 World Championships, and the bidding process is likely to start early 2025.

But with issues like doping still a massive problem with no firm solution in sight, it remains to be seen whether the Indian athletics story manages to find success beyond Chopra’s individual brilliance.

India’s javelin star Neeraj Chopra pulled off a hilarious prank on his coach Klaus Bartonietz with a special video on Instagram. In the video, which featured Neeraj, Bartonietz and physiotherapist Ishaan Marwaha, the Tokyo Olympics gold medallist poked fun at the German, who is set to depart from his current role after the ongoing season. The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) had initially hired Bartonietz as a biometrics expert in 2019, but appointed him as Neeraj’s coach after Uwe Hohn left.

In the viral video, the trio created their own version of the viral ‘give me my money’ trend. However, Bartonietz was unaware of Neeraj and Marwaha’s intentions.

In the video, Neeraj started off by saying “give me my money”, while the Marwaha and Bartonietz clapped. Marwaha too reiterated the phrase, with everyone clapping. 

However, when it was Bartonietz’s turn, no one clapped. This left the German puzzled, before Neeraj and Marwaha started laughing. “Coach was not ready for this,” Neeraj captioned the video.

The hugely successful partnership between Neeraj Chopra and his long-time coach Klaus Bartonietz of Germany will come to an end after five years of working together.

The 75-year-old Bartonietz has cited his age and family commitments to part ways with Chopra.

“He (Bartonietz) is 75 and he now wants to be with his family and does not want too much travel also,” an official of the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) told PTI.

“It is not that Neeraj wants to end the association, it is Bartonietz who has expressed his inability to continue as his (Neeraj’s) coach,” he added.

Under Bartonietz, Chopra won Tokyo Olympics gold, Paris Games silver, became world champion and Diamond League champion, besides becoming Asian Games gold medallist.

(With PTI Inputs)

Entire India went into a state of mourning as Ratan Tata, Chairman Emeritus, Tata Sons, died at Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai aged 86. He was among India’s most respected and loved industrialists, who took Tata Group to new heights and touched the fabric of the nation through his contributions across different areas including philanthropy. Even sports stars, including Olympian medallist Neeraj Chopra, Test and ODI captain Rohit Sharma, and India’s T20I skipper Suryakumar Yadav, took to social media to pay their tributes to Ratan Tata after hearing the saddening news of his death.

“A man with a heart of gold. Sir, you will forever be remembered as someone who truly cared and lived his life to make everyone else’s better,” India’s ODI and Test captain Rohit Sharma wrote.

A man with a heart of gold. Sir, you will forever be remembered as someone who truly cared and lived his life to make everyone else’s better. pic.twitter.com/afbAbNIgeS

— Rohit Sharma (@ImRo45) October 10, 2024

“I’m very sorry to hear about the passing of Shri Ratan Tata ji. He was a visionary, and I’ll never forget the conversation I had with him. He inspired this entire nation. I pray that his loved ones find strength. Om Shanti,” said Neeraj Chopra.

I’m very sorry to hear about the passing of Shri Ratan Tata ji. He was a visionary, and I’ll never forget the conversation I had with him. He inspired this entire nation. I pray that his loved ones find strength. Om Shanti.

— Neeraj Chopra (@Neeraj_chopra1) October 9, 2024

“End of an era.The epitome of kindness, most inspirational, marvel of a man. Sir, you have touched so many hearts. Your life has been a blessing to the nation. Thank you for your endless and unconditional service. Your legacy will live on. Rest in glory, sir,” Suryakumar wrote.

End of an era.

The epitome of kindness, most

inspirational, marvel of a man. Sir, you have touched so many hearts. Your life has been a blessing to the nation. Thank you for your endless and unconditional service.

Your legacy will live on. Rest in glory, sir. pic.twitter.com/mCw0xJ84A7

— Surya Kumar Yadav (@surya_14kumar) October 9, 2024

“We have lost a true Ratan of Bharat, Shri Ratan Tata ji. His life will be an inspiration for us all and he will continue to live in our hearts. Om Shanti,” said former cricketer Virender Sehwag.

We have lost a true Ratan of Bharat, Shri Ratan Tata ji.

His life will be an inspiration for us all and he will continue to live in our hearts. Om Shanti pic.twitter.com/CvTRS3VYXp

— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) October 9, 2024

Here are some other reactions:

Deeply saddened by the loss of Shri Ratan Tata ji. He wasn’t just a business leader, but a true inspiration for millions. His dedication, integrity, and impact on India’s growth are unmatched. We’ve lost a giant, but his legacy will endure forever. Rest in peace.

— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) October 9, 2024

End of an era as one of the greats of our country, Shri Ratan Tata Ji passes away. He will always be remembered for his invaluable contribution to our country and for being such an incredible role-model. Heartfelt condolences to all his well-wishers and admirers all around the… pic.twitter.com/HKm241WwIF

— VVS Laxman (@VVSLaxman281) October 9, 2024

Rest in Peace to an Indian Icon, A role model to many & inspiration to the entire nation. Mr. Ratan Tata, Your legacy will continue to live on forever. pic.twitter.com/1Is2hgkBaZ

— DK (@DineshKarthik) October 9, 2024

RIP Sir Satnam Waheguru Ratan Tata ji will always be in our hearts as one of the builders of modern India.

His leadership, humility, and unwavering commitment to ethics and values set a benchmark that will continue to inspire generations. His legacy will forever be… pic.twitter.com/wVeyGXQ9Ct

— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) October 9, 2024

Integrity. Vision. Class. Humility. Dignity……Everything that we want in our public figures embodied in one man. A great Indian. #RatanTata

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) October 9, 2024

In an official statement, Tata Sons chairman N Chandrasekaran paid tributes to Ratan Tata, calling him a “mentor, guide and friend”.

“For the Tata Group, Mr. Tata was more than a chairperson. To me, he was a mentor, guide and friend. He inspired by example. With an unwavering commitment to excellence, integrity, and innovation, the Tata Group under his stewardship expanded its global footprint while always remaining true to its moral compass,” the official statement read.

“Mr. Tata’s dedication to philanthropy and the development of society has touched the lives of millions. From education to healthcare, his initiatives have left a deep-rooted mark that will benefit generations to come. Reinforcing all of this work was Mr. Tata’s genuine humility in every individual interaction,” it further said.

With ANI Inputs

PM Narendra Modi met Neeraj Chopra during the Jamaican Prime Minister’s visit to India.© X (Twitter)

File photo of Neeraj Chopra© AFP