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Two-time Olympic medalist Neeraj Chopra has officially parted ways with his long-time coach, Dr. Klaus Bartonietz, marking the end of one of the most successful partnerships in Indian athletics. Under Bartonietz’s guidance, Neeraj soared to global stardom, winning gold at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics and silver at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
However, the celebrated coach has decided to be with his family and is returning to his hometown. The 25-year-old javelin star is thus exploring new coaching options to elevate his game to the next level.
“Coach Klaus Bartonietz won’t continue with the Indian athletics team and Neeraj Chopra after this season. He is returning to his hometown in mid-October. Till May 2022, he was also involved in coaching other javelin athletes also and also conducting courses for javelin coaches," Athletics Federation of India chief coach Radhakrishnan Nair told The Indian Express.
"The reason is that he is nearly 76 years old and he wants to stay with his family. He was not willing to continue after 2021 but we requested him and he agreed. But this time he is going back,” he added.
Earlier during an event at the Sports University of Haryana, Neeraj hinted at the possibility of exploring new coaching avenues.
“We see many times that we are following the same plan and doing the same workout… I think it can make a difference,” he said, suggesting that a new approach could help him break through the elusive 90-meter mark.
Neeraj Chopra and Dr. Klaus Bartonietz's stellar run together
Neeraj Chopra and Bartonietz formed a formidable duo that delivered some of the most iconic moments in Indian athletics. When Klaus joined Chopra in 2019, his expertise as a biomechanics specialist helped the athlete recover from an elbow injury that had previously sidelined him. The partnership soon bore fruit as Neeraj began to refine his technique, becoming more consistent in his throws.
Their crowning achievement came at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics when Neeraj threw 87.58 meters to clinch the gold, making history as the first Indian athlete to win an Olympic gold in track and field. Dr. Bartonietz’s scientific approach to training was credited for this victory, especially given Neeraj's journey of recovery from injuries.
The success didn’t stop there. In 2023, Neeraj won gold at the World Athletics Championships with a throw of 88.17 meters, a moment that once again solidified the fruitful collaboration. Shortly after, he defended his title at the Asian Games with a throw of 88.88 meters, proving that the Bartonietz formula was working.
Later, Neeraj Chopra made history at the Paris 2024 Olympics with a season-best throw of 89.45 meters, though he missed out on gold. Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem took the top spot with a record-breaking throw of 92.97 meters. Despite this, Neeraj became the first Indian to win both gold and silver in consecutive Olympic Games.
