NEW DELHI:
Neeraj Chopra
, the Olympic gold medalist in javelin throw, has been dealing with an adductor issue over the last few months.
However, his German coach
Klaus Bartonietz
has assured that the problem "is fine" now, putting to rest any worries about Chopra's physical condition.
As the 26-year-old athlete gears up for the
Paris Olympics
, set to commence on July 26, he has entered the crucial high-intensity training phase.
Chopra, who made history by securing the top spot on the podium in Tokyo, is once again India's strongest contender for a gold medal in the upcoming Games.
Despite a season marred by fitness concerns, Bartonietz remains confident that Chopra is back on the right path and ready to take on the challenges that lie ahead in his quest for another Olympic triumph.
"Everything is according to plan. At the moment, no issue with that (adductor niggle), it's fine, it looks good, hoping to remain like that till the Olympics," the coach, who has been with Chopra for close to five years, told PTI in an exclusive interview from Antalya, Turkiye where they are currently based for training.
"It's just over two weeks left in the Olympics, so the intensity of training is high. He is having full throwing sessions."
Chopra pulled out of the Ostrava Golden Spike on May 28 as a precautionary measure after feeling discomfort in his adductor muscles. However, he made an impressive return by securing gold at the Paavo Nurmi Games in Finland on June 18, achieving a throw of 85.97m.
Chopra decided not to participate in the Paris Diamond League on July 7, emphasizing that the event was not part of his competition schedule for this year.
With the qualification round set for August 6, Chopra's competition day is rapidly approaching, just two weeks away.
When asked about Chopra's training routine, Bartonietz explained that they have morning sessions consisting of sprinting, jumping, throwing, or weightlifting for activation. They conduct two sessions daily, one in the morning and one in the evening, each lasting two to two-and-a-half hours.
Bartonietz mentioned that the approach they are taking is similar to the one they employed before the Tokyo Olympics.
Chopra has emphasized that he is prioritizing training over competitions this time around. He is focusing on strengthening his blocking leg to reduce the strain on his groin.
"Yes. Generally, javelin throw is all about it (having fast runway and blocking well). It's very hard to throw far with a poor runway. More the energy you bring with that, the better it is," said the German bio-mechanics expert.
"THREE EVENTS BEFORE OLYMPICS NOT DISADVANTAGE"
Chopra, the Olympic gold medalist, participated in a limited number of competitions prior to the Tokyo Games. Specifically, he took part in five events leading up to his historic victory in Japan.
"You can compete in many events or not, it's tough to say what is enough (number of events). It depends on the situation. Jan Zelezny (Czech legend and world record holder) says he does not compete in too many events (just two before 1992 Olympics where he won gold).
"Competitions sometimes disrupt preparation and you start all over again. Competing in high class events can become risky also. Travelling too much with logistics, with javelins around the world, is also not good.
"So, it's fine, he has prepared and trained well."
Asked about Chopra opting out of the Paris Diamond League on July 7, Bartonietz said, "There were some minor issues, not worth risking by going there.
"The venue (of Paris Diamond League) was also not the Olympic stadium (where Chopra will compete on August 6 and 8) anyway, so we decided not to take chances."
NOT SAFE TO PREDICT MEDAL
The Olympic javelin throw competition is shaping up to be a closely contested event, as the world's elite throwers have not showcased their best performances this season.
"Olympics is a high-stakes and high-pressure situation and anything can happen. Guessing a medal on the basis of statistics is difficult.
"All the top throwers are training their best, they want to give their best in Paris and win a medal. Just like them, we can also claim that Neeraj can win. These claims (of medal chances) can be biased and can bungle up also," he pointed out.
German teenager Mex Dehning is the only one to have thrown more than 90m this year, and Bartonietz said it all boils down to momentum.
"An 88m throw may not be enough in the Olympics for a medal but it can happen with an 85m also, you never know. It is like a game of poker and on some days you can throw far if you have momentum."
Apart from Czech Republic's Jakub Vadlejch (silver medal winner in Tokyo Olympics), Julian Weber of Germany and two-time former world champion Anderson Peters of Grenada, Bartonietz also picked Oliver Helander of Finland as a medal contender.
The Olympic Stadium in Paris will have purple-coloured Mondo tracks, which experts believe give faster timings in races.
Asked if Neeraj will gain from the track on the runway, Bartonietz said, "It's basically for sprinters (to have better timings). It may be good for Neeraj also, of course, but it's for all javelin throwers, it can be fast. But it is a matter of full use of the speed."
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