Why Neeraj Chopra hasn't picked up a javelin in last 6 months? Indian star reveals
Speaking to India Today's sister channel, Sports Today, Neeraj Chopra recalled why he split with Jan Zelezny after the eighth-place finish at Tokyo World Championships. Having not thrown a javelin since, the two-time Olympic medalist is preparing for the new season with caution and clarity.
For 2,566 days, Neeraj Chopra lived in a world where the podium was his permanent residence. Between the 2021 Kuortane Games and the 2025 season, the Indian javelin ace never finished outside the top two. It was a streak that felt like a law of physics—until the Tokyo 2025 World Championships, where an eighth-place finish left the sporting world in shock.
Now, in an exclusive conversation, Chopra has opened up about the fractures that led to his high-profile split with coaching legend Jan Zelezny, the "double-minded" agony of competing through a disc injury in Tokyo, and his meticulously cautious training regime for the 2026 season.
In May 2025, the partnership between the world’s most famous thrower and the world record holder seemed destined for greatness when Chopra finally breached the 90m barrier in Doha. However, behind the scenes, the toolbox of the Czech legend wasn't quite fitting the Indian’s machinery.
“I was with him for almost a year. We didn't have the same training and techniques that we used to have in the beginning,” Neeraj said.
“He was not with me only, he was with the Czech Republic team. There were a lot of things that we had to do. There was a training facility. A lot of things have changed. The training plans didn't match my body."
Chopra insisted the parting was rooted in mutual respect.
“I talked to him. After the Tokyo World Championships, we discussed it and we felt it didn’t match. He told me that I can tell him if I feel that way. I thought about it a lot. I respect him a lot—he helped me a lot. I still respect him.”
Chopra has now returned to his roots, reuniting with Jai Choudhary, the coach from his formative years, and his trusted physiotherapist Ishaan Marwaha.
“When the throw did not come, I told him. It was a mutual decision to part ways. I wanted to try something else. So, I thought I have been throwing for many years, I understand my body, so I will try to work out things in my own way which suits my body.
“So, Jai Choudhary, who began coaching with me, is back with me. Ishan bhai is with me. I am looking at figuring out my own way to improve.”
THE HEARTBREAK IN TOKYO
The eighth-place finish in Tokyo wasn't a lapse in skill, but a battle against biology. Two weeks before the championships, during a shot put drill in the Czech Republic, a sudden jolt during a front throw resulted in a disc issue.
“I had something in mind. It was the World Championship. If it was a different competition, I would not have taken part,” Chopra admitted.
He was caught between the desire to protect his body and the pressure to maintain a historic streak at one of the biggest events of the Olympic cycle.
“I knew the reason. I knew it was going to happen, but I felt that I had to maintain something for a long time. I felt that I had to stay on the podium.”
The internal conflict was palpable.
“I was double-minded at that time. It was very difficult for me to make that decision. I was very puzzled. It took some time, but I accepted that it's a sport and it happens. Now, the main thing is how I have to go back and stay in the same place.”
SHARPNESS OVER DISTANCE
Chopra hasn't thrown a javelin in literal terms since that night in Tokyo. His 2026 preparation, spanning camps in Potchefstroom, South Africa, and Antalya, Turkey, has been an exercise in restraint.
“I threw my last javelin in Tokyo. After that, I didn't throw. It took time in rehab,” he said.
The focus has shifted from brute strength to "small problems" and metabolic efficiency. In a significant change to his cardio, he has abandoned his preferred middle-distance runs.
“In South Africa, I did more running—core strength and exercises for small problems. I started jumping. When I came to Turkey, I started doing medicine balls and weightlifting. I changed long-distance running to sprinting. I used to do 800 metres, but I don't think javelin throwers run that much. I reduced it to 100 metres. As the competition approaches, it will become sharper.”
With the Asian Games in Nagoya on the horizon, Chopra is eyeing a return to the top, though he knows the field has grown teeth. With Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem, Sri Lanka’s Rumesh Pathirage, and fellow countryman Sachin Yadav all in the mix, the 2026 season promises to be the ultimate test of Neeraj 2.0.
“I like to be fit at the starting time,” he said.
The most striking change, however, is visual. The boyish, clean-shaven face that became the poster for Indian Olympic glory has been replaced by a rugged, bearded look. It is a transformation that feels more than aesthetic; it is the outward sign of a hardened mindset.
The Golden Boy has matured into a veteran who has tasted defeat and found it clarifying.
For 2,566 days, Neeraj Chopra lived in a world where the podium was his permanent residence. Between the 2021 Kuortane Games and the 2025 season, the Indian javelin ace never finished outside the top two. It was a streak that felt like a law of physics—until the Tokyo 2025 World Championships, where an eighth-place finish left the sporting world in shock.
Now, in an exclusive conversation, Chopra has opened up about the fractures that led to his high-profile split with coaching legend Jan Zelezny, the "double-minded" agony of competing through a disc injury in Tokyo, and his meticulously cautious training regime for the 2026 season.
In May 2025, the partnership between the world’s most famous thrower and the world record holder seemed destined for greatness when Chopra finally breached the 90m barrier in Doha. However, behind the scenes, the toolbox of the Czech legend wasn't quite fitting the Indian’s machinery.
“I was with him for almost a year. We didn't have the same training and techniques that we used to have in the beginning,” Neeraj said.
“He was not with me only, he was with the Czech Republic team. There were a lot of things that we had to do. There was a training facility. A lot of things have changed. The training plans didn't match my body."
Chopra insisted the parting was rooted in mutual respect.
“I talked to him. After the Tokyo World Championships, we discussed it and we felt it didn’t match. He told me that I can tell him if I feel that way. I thought about it a lot. I respect him a lot—he helped me a lot. I still respect him.”
Chopra has now returned to his roots, reuniting with Jai Choudhary, the coach from his formative years, and his trusted physiotherapist Ishaan Marwaha.
“When the throw did not come, I told him. It was a mutual decision to part ways. I wanted to try something else. So, I thought I have been throwing for many years, I understand my body, so I will try to work out things in my own way which suits my body.
“So, Jai Choudhary, who began coaching with me, is back with me. Ishan bhai is with me. I am looking at figuring out my own way to improve.”
THE HEARTBREAK IN TOKYO
The eighth-place finish in Tokyo wasn't a lapse in skill, but a battle against biology. Two weeks before the championships, during a shot put drill in the Czech Republic, a sudden jolt during a front throw resulted in a disc issue.
“I had something in mind. It was the World Championship. If it was a different competition, I would not have taken part,” Chopra admitted.
He was caught between the desire to protect his body and the pressure to maintain a historic streak at one of the biggest events of the Olympic cycle.
“I knew the reason. I knew it was going to happen, but I felt that I had to maintain something for a long time. I felt that I had to stay on the podium.”
The internal conflict was palpable.
“I was double-minded at that time. It was very difficult for me to make that decision. I was very puzzled. It took some time, but I accepted that it's a sport and it happens. Now, the main thing is how I have to go back and stay in the same place.”
SHARPNESS OVER DISTANCE
Chopra hasn't thrown a javelin in literal terms since that night in Tokyo. His 2026 preparation, spanning camps in Potchefstroom, South Africa, and Antalya, Turkey, has been an exercise in restraint.
“I threw my last javelin in Tokyo. After that, I didn't throw. It took time in rehab,” he said.
The focus has shifted from brute strength to "small problems" and metabolic efficiency. In a significant change to his cardio, he has abandoned his preferred middle-distance runs.
“In South Africa, I did more running—core strength and exercises for small problems. I started jumping. When I came to Turkey, I started doing medicine balls and weightlifting. I changed long-distance running to sprinting. I used to do 800 metres, but I don't think javelin throwers run that much. I reduced it to 100 metres. As the competition approaches, it will become sharper.”
With the Asian Games in Nagoya on the horizon, Chopra is eyeing a return to the top, though he knows the field has grown teeth. With Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem, Sri Lanka’s Rumesh Pathirage, and fellow countryman Sachin Yadav all in the mix, the 2026 season promises to be the ultimate test of Neeraj 2.0.
“I like to be fit at the starting time,” he said.
The most striking change, however, is visual. The boyish, clean-shaven face that became the poster for Indian Olympic glory has been replaced by a rugged, bearded look. It is a transformation that feels more than aesthetic; it is the outward sign of a hardened mindset.
The Golden Boy has matured into a veteran who has tasted defeat and found it clarifying.
