Mumbai, Nov 6 (IANS): Two-time Olympic medallist javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra has penned an emotional note to his former coach Klaus Bartonietz who has announced his retirement from coaching. Chopra thanked the German coach and bio-mechanics expert for being more than a mentor and staying with him during highs and lows.
The 26-year-old Chopra has recently parted ways with Bartonietz, who had guided him since 2019 and helped him win Olympic gold in Tokyo 2020 and a silver at Paris 2024 besides a Diamond League title in 2022 and gold medals at the World Championships and Asian Games in 2023. Chopra seems to have taken the decision after a tough 2024 season in which he struggled with injuries.
However, on Wednesday, Chopra took to social media to write a heartwarming post for Bartonietz. "I write this without knowing where to begin," said Chopra in his post on X, formerly Twitter.
"Coach, you are more than just a mentor to me. Everything you taught has helped me grow both as an athlete and a person. You have gone out of your way to make sure I was mentally and physically prepared for every competition.
"You stood by me through injury. You were there through the highs, and you were there even more through the lows. You were one of the quietest in the stands, but your words to me rang the loudest in my ears when I threw. I will miss the pranks and the laughs we shared, but more than anything, I will miss US as a team," said Chopra in his social media post.
"Thank you for being a part of my journey. Thank you for allowing me to be a part of yours. Happy retirement, coach," wrote Chopra.
Neeraj Chopra and Bartonietz first crossed paths back in 2018 as the German joined as an assistant to fellow German coach and former javelin thrower Uwe Horn. Bartonietz eventually took over as Chopra's main head coach in 2021 after playing a key role in helping Chopra recover from a major injury to his throwing arm in 2019, which ruled him out for almost a year.
Klaus Bartonietz and his team put in tremendous effort and work to smoothen Chopra's recovery process and return to action.