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Neeraj Chopra. (PTI Photo)
Under Klaus Bartonietz, Neeraj Chopra won Tokyo Olympics gold, Paris Games silver, became world champion and Diamond League champion, besides becoming Asian Games gold medallist.
The hugely successful partnership between star Indian javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra and his long-time coach Klaus Bartonietz of Germany is set to 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.
The 26-year-old Chopra has been working with Bartonietz, who is a biomechanics expert but doubled up as Chopra’s coach, since 2019.
The German first came on board as a biomechanical expert and took over as Chopra’s coach after Uwe Hohn fell out with the AFI and the Sports Authority of India.
Under Bartonietz, Chopra won Tokyo Olympics gold, Paris Games silver, became world champion and Diamond League champion, besides becoming Asian Games gold medallist.
New Coach Shortlised
According to a report in Sportstar, former World champion and Olympic medallist Sergey Makarov has been shortlisted by AFI as head coach for India’s javelin throwers.
“We would want Makarov to work as a coach with the Indian javelin throwers. But this is pending approval by SAI (Sports Authority of India),” AFI chief coach Radhakrishnan Nair told Sportstar.
The report adds that it is not yet certain that Neeraj will be working with Makarov or op for a personal coach.
(With inputs from Agencies)
