Post by : Jyoti Gupta

Photo:AP

At the 64th Ostrava Golden Spike athletics meet in Czechia, fans got a special sight. Jan Zelezny, the world record holder in javelin and now a coach, was standing right beside the throwing area. Dressed in a smart shirt and trousers, the legendary thrower watched closely — not just as a meet director, but also as a coach.

Zelezny was there to support his student, India’s star javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra. And Neeraj didn’t disappoint! In his fifth event of 2025, he got his third win by throwing the javelin 85.29 meters. He beat South Africa’s Douw Smit, who threw a personal best of 84.12 meters, and Grenada’s Anderson Peters, a two-time world champion, who threw 83.63 meters.

Neeraj had only a short break after winning the Paris Diamond League just days before. But because this event was special to his coach, he made sure to show up and perform.

During the event, Neeraj wasn’t completely happy with his throws. After some attempts, he had a chat with Zelezny, likely discussing how he released the javelin. Neeraj has been working with his coach to improve his control and power during the final step before the throw. In his last attempt, he even fouled on purpose after stumbling a bit — shaking his head, not too happy.

Still, he smiled afterward. Winning is always a good feeling! Since June 2021, Neeraj has finished in the top two in every event he has competed in.

Now, he’s getting ready for his own event — the NC Classic — a special javelin competition happening next weekend in Bengaluru, India. Like Zelezny and Ostrava, the NC Classic means a lot to Neeraj, not just as an athlete but as a leader in his sport.