Star Indian javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra is training in what appears to be the North-West University campus in Potchefstroom, South Africa. (Neeraj Chopra/X)
Indian javelin star Neeraj Chopra has returned to the field to train after last season’s break for his comeback in the 2025 athletics season.
In a video posted on X, formerly Twitter, on Friday night, Neeraj is seen throwing the javelin with a light run-up over the runway before nearly making a full-stretched dive for the throw on what appears to be the North-West University campus in Potchefstroom, South Africa.
Training throw. pic.twitter.com/wX50zV8Me2
— Neeraj Chopra (@Neeraj_chopra1) March 21, 2025
Neeraj recently brought in three-time Olympic and world champion and the current javelin throw world record holder Jan Zelezny as his new coach ahead of the 2025 athletics season.
Zelezny, who is considered the greatest javelin thrower of the modern era, won gold medals at the Barcelona 1992, Atlanta 1996 and Sydney 2000 Olympics. His current record of 98.48m was set in Germany in 1996.
The 58-year-old Zelezny is a former coach of Czechia’s Tokyo 2020 silver medallist Jakub Vadlejch and bronze winner Vítezslav Vesely. He has also coached two-time Olympic and three-time world champion Barbora Spotakova.
Neeraj’s longtime coach, German biomechanics expert Dr. Klaus Bartonietz, retired due to age and family commitments.
Neeraj also tied up the knot with Himani Mor earlier this year. In a private small function, the Indian javelin superstar got married to Mor, a professional tennis player.
Himani graduated from Southeastern Louisiana University and worked as a part-time volunteer assistant coach in tennis at Franklin Pierce University. A graduate assistant at Amherst College, Himani supervises the college’s women’s tennis team. She looks after training, scheduling, recruitment, and budgets for the team. Hailing from Larsauli in Haryana, Himani is also pursuing her Master’s in Science in Sports Management and Administration from the McCormack Isenberg School of Management.
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Neeraj is the first Indian athlete to win a gold medal in Olympic track & field events. He clinched the elusive gold medal in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics before winning a silver medal in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
