Neeraj Chopra set to part ways with coach Bartonietz

hugely successful partnership between star Indian javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra and his long-time coach Klaus Bartonietz of Germany is set to end after five years of working toger.

75-year-old Bartonietz has cited his age and family commitments to part ways with Chopra.

"He (Bartonietz) is 75 and he now wants to be with his family and does not want too much travel also," an official of Athletics Federation of India (AFI) told PTI.

"It is not that Neeraj wants to end association, it is Bartonietz who has expressed his inability to continue as his (Neeraj's) coach," he ded.

26-year-old Chopra has been working with Bartonietz, who is a biomechanics expert but doubled up as Chopra’s coach, since 2019.

German first came on board as a biomechanical expert and took over as Chopra's coach after Uwe Hohn fell out with AFI and Sports Authority of India.

Under Bartonietz, Chopra won Tokyo Olympics gold, Paris Games silver, became world champion and Diamond League champion, besides becoming Asian Games gold medallist.