Neeraj Chopra bid farewell to coach Klaus Bartonietz in a heartwarming social media post

Tokyo Olympics gold medallist Neeraj Chopra on Wednesday confirmed that his coach Klaus Bartonietz is retiring from athletics.

In a social media post, Neeraj 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.

Bartonietz had taken charge as Neeraj’s coach from compatriot and former world record holder javelin thrower Uwe Hohn during the youngster’s rehabilitation and recovery process after elbow surgery in 2019.

Neeraj won several medals with Bartonietz 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 last competed with the 75-year-old German coach at the Diamond League Final in Brussels, where he finished second after Anderson Peters.