Neeraj Chopra's successful partnership with his long-time coach Klaus Bartonietz, which resulted in two Olympic medals, two World Championship medals, and an Asian Games gold, has come to an end as the 75-year-old German coach has decided to retire.
On Wednesday, Tokyo Olympics gold medallist Neeraj Chopra confirmed that Klaus Bartonietz will be stepping away from athletics. Bartonietz had taken over as Neeraj's coach in 2019, following the athlete's recovery from elbow surgery, after the departure of former coach Uwe Hohn.
Neeraj shared an Instagram reel on his official handle and wrote,
"Coach, you are more than just a mentor to me. Everything you taught has helped me grow both as an athlete and person. You have gone out of your way to make sure I was mentally and physically prepared for every competition. You stood by me through injury. You were there through the highs, and you were there even more through the lows. You were one of the quietest in the stands, but your words to me rang the loudest in my ears when I threw.
"I will miss the pranks and the laughs we shared, but more than anything, I will miss US as a team. Thank you for being a part of my journey. Thank you for allowing me to be a part of yours Happy retirement, coach," wrote Neeraj.
During their time together, Neeraj achieved remarkable success, including two Olympic medals (gold and silver), two World Championship medals (gold and silver), an Asian Games gold, and a Diamond League title.
The 26-year-old javelin thrower's most recent competition with Bartonietz was at the Diamond League Final in Brussels, where he finished second behind Anderson Peters.