Neeraj Chopra embarks new journey with Olympic legend who won hat-trick of Gold Medals

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India's Golden boy Neeraj Chopra has embarked on a new journey by collaborating with Jan Zelezny as his coach.

Zelezny is renowned for his achievements as a three-time Olympic and World champion and holds the current world record in javelin. Chopra has long admired Zelezny's skills and considers him an idol.

"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," said Chopra, following the announcement.

Who is Jan Zelenzy?

Jan Zelezny is a legendary athlete who has made a distinct mark in javelin history with his remarkable achievements. He clinched gold medals at the 1992, 1996, and 2000 Olympics. His prowess is further highlighted by holding five of the top ten best throws ever recorded. In 1996, he set the world record with a throw of 98.48m in Germany.

The 58-year-old Czech is tipped to sharpen Neeraj's skills further as the Indian aims to secure another Gold in the upcoming Los Angeles Olympics. And he revealed that he has already spoken about Neeraj's indomitable talent a long time ago. The duo are also set to commence the training in South Africa after a few months.

"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 after signing for his new role.

Jan Zelezny has not only excelled as an athlete but also as a coach. He guided Jakub Vadlejch (silver) and Vitezslav Vesely (bronze) when Chopra secured Gold at Tokyo 2020. Additionally, he coached Barbora Spotakova, who is a two-time Olympic Champion and three-time World Champion.

Neeraj Chopra secured a Gold medal in Javelin throw at the Tokyo Olympics. The Indian athlete did extremely well in Paris but had to be content with a Silver medal as Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem clinched the Gold medal.