Latest News in India: New Delhi: Klaus Bartonietz will not be seen anymore with Neeraj Chopra as the Indian javelin star’s longtime coach has decided to spend more time with family, thus ending a five-year-long association with the Olympic champion.
The 75-year-old German cited age and family commitments to part ways with Neeraj. 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.
“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.”
Under Bartonietz, Chopra won Tokyo Olympics gold, Paris Games silver, became world champion and Diamond League champion, besides becoming Asian Games gold medalist.