“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,” he added.
Neeraj, who has not crossed the 90m mark in competition so far, would be eager to break the ‘barrier’ and Zelezny’s experience could come in handy.
The collaboration also symbolises a fusion of generations, with the young champion drawing inspiration and expertise from what many consider the greatest javelin thrower of all time.
Zelezný’s expressed his happiness, saying he was always looking forward to train the Indian star as he still has a lot of potential.
“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,” Zelezny said in a statement.
“I also said that if I should start to coach somebody from outside Czechia (Republic), 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,” he added.
Zelezny broke the world record on four occasions en route to claiming the current undisputed mark of 98.48m, in Germany, in 1996.
The legend has also coached renowned javelin exponents like Jakub Vadlejch (Tokyo silver), Vítezslav Vesely (bronze) and two-time Olympic champion and three-time world champion Barbora Potakova.
