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Neeraj’s never-ending quest for technical perfection
The 27-year-old is in the midst of an overhaul that requires him to work at almost every aspect of his craft
New Delhi: Faster run-up, fluid cross-step, stronger block and keeping the body from leaning left -- these are some of the key technical areas that double Olympic medallist Neeraj Chopra is working on with coach Jan Zelezny in his quest for technical perfection. At the heart of his pursuit lies the desire to become a consistent 90m thrower, a distance he finally scaled two months back to put to rest doubts about his ability to go that far.
The act of running with an 800gm spear and hurling it with full might is far more technical and complex than it seems. Raw power doesn’t always cut it. There are so many moving parts that even a slight deviation in any one of them can mess up the rhythm and the result. It is, therefore, understandable for throwers to obsess over angles and momentum, drift and direction.
Chopra is no different. The reigning world champion is in the midst of a technical overhaul that requires him to work at almost every aspect of his craft. On a rainy afternoon, in a cramped store in Gurugram, he proceeded to deliver a brief masterclass on javelin technique.
Approach, crossover, block, throw, and follow-through form the core of javelin throw, and Chopra is working on most, if not all, of those key areas.
“We are working on a lot of small things. I was going a little towards the left which was resulting in loss of power in my throw. That is one of the major areas that coach Jan Zelezny has identified,” the 27-year-old said at the launch of Under Armour’s store on Friday.
The duo is also working on Chopra’s run-up which he reckons needs to get faster. “The coach keeps pushing me to stay on my toes while running. Basically, I need a faster approach.”
“My run-up was very good in some competitions. It was very good in Paris and Doha Diamond Leagues but not so much in Ostrava and Bengaluru where there was some headwind too,” he analysed.
The next, and perhaps the most crucial step for Chopra, is the crossover. It is the motion when the thrower’s body twists and winds up as the front leg begins to ‘block.’
“When you are running and doing cross-step, the speed should not go down. Either it should go up or stay constant. That motion should be very fluid,” he explained.
It’s also where Chopra’s pain point lies, quite literally. Beset with a groin niggle for a few years thanks to the repeated twisting motion, Chopra and Zelezny have found a workaround.
“Earlier when I used to do the cross step, I would take long steps. Now we are doing small and fast, so there is not much stretch on the groin. It has helped me a lot. The groin has been pain free so far.”
Chopra sought medical attention in the Czech Republic in December-January and the problem was remedied with a few specific exercises along with technical adjustments. “I consulted one Dr Powell in Czech. He is the same doctor who sorted out Zelezny’s groin issues in his playing days,” he said.
“I am also working to get a stronger block. My coach was known for his blocking technique, so it is important I get better.”
Technical finesse aside, what drives Chopra is his quest for consistency. With 25 consecutive top-two finishes, he is closing in on Zelezny’s record of 33 while aiming to hit the 90m mark more regularly.
“I am someone who likes to be consistent. Over the past few years, I have been a consistent 88-89m thrower which is something that Zelezny also appreciated. I now want to take that consistency to 90m and beyond.”
“Also, it would be nice to go past Zelezny’s record of 33 podium finishes. People tend to remind me of that and I think that’s doable,” he laughed.
The Paris Games silver medallist will now head back to his training base in Prague where he and Zelezny will plot the rest of his year. “Nothing is fixed yet but the World Championships in Tokyo remains the most important event of the year for me. I’ll probably appear in a few Diamond League meets as well,” Chopra said.
