Hitting the reset button

As the clock ticks towards the New Year, a few star athletes, including javelin superstar Neeraj Chopra and weightlifter Mirabai Chanu, have hit the reset button. Neeraj had an injury-ravaged run in 2024, where first groin and then a hand injury became hurdles as he could only register one legal throw to win a silver medal at the Paris Olympics, behind Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem.

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Since then, he has made changes to his coaching staff. Dr Klaus Bartonietz, with whom he had won big medals, including the Olympic gold in Tokyo and the World Championship, will no longer be by his side. Now, his idol, Jan Zelezny, has taken over the coaching role and Neeraj is training in Potchefstroom, South Africa, as they try to regain the form that has seen him conquer the javelin field in the last five years.

“Growing up, I admired Jan’s technique and precision and spent a lot of time watching videos of him. He was the best in the sport for so many years, and I believe that working with him will be invaluable because our throwing styles are similar, and his knowledge is unmatched. It is an honour to have Jan by my side as I push towards the next level in my career, and I can’t wait to get started,” Chopra said in a statement after joining hands with Zelezny in November.

Amongst other things, he has decided not to get a surgery done to mend his injury; rather, he is focusing to get this technique and form this year, which will see him compete less.

Manisha Malhotra, the head of sports excellence and scouting of Inspire Institute of Sports, said that Neeraj’s season will be less competition-oriented in 2025. “He will not undergo any surgery. He is with (Jan) Zelezny, focusing on technical changes. His real focus will be to do well at the World Championships (in September), but overall, it will be a not so competition-oriented calendar for him,” Malhotra added.

Closer home, Mirabai Chanu, who missed out on a podium finish in Paris, finishing fourth after failing to lift 114 kg in clean and jerk, has seen her season marred by injuries. Now training in SRM University’s plush facility, Mira is focusing on strengthening her core as well her shoulder muscles before starting to lift weights.

“I am not lifting at all. Currently, I am in rehab and have been asked by Dr Aaron Horschig to do strength and conditioning exercises to help cure the imbalance in my glutes. Once I am happy, I will start lifting in two or three months. The idea is to compete at the Commonwealth Championships, which is a qualifying tournament for the Commonwealth Games. A big draw for me is the Asian Games as well,” Mira said.

All over for Rohit, Virat?

The next year would be crucial for two of the biggest icons of Indian cricket — Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Both have signalled that they would want to play in the 2027 World Cup. Their white ball fates may be decided as early as February during the ICC Champions Trophy, where the dynamic duo would be hoping to win another ICC trophy after starring in the ICC T20 World Cup win earlier this year.

With a little over two years left for the 2027 edition, it will be interesting to see whether the selectors, led by Ajit Agarkar, are willing to give them the long rope. Former India international Vijay Dahiya feels that though the duo has a lot to offer, there will be some important calls that can be taken in the near future.

“Both of them have nothing to prove. They have given it their all and deserve their spot in the team and all they need to do is to come up with big performances that they are capable of,” Dahiya opined. “Having said that, I have a feeling that there will come a moment where important calls would be taken by the people who run the sport. Say, if the selectors decide to build the team for 2027. That sort of planning will not happen six months prior to the tournament. I would assume it would be for a longer period. So, let us wait and watch,” he added.

Olympics pitch

The year 2025 would also be crucial for India’s ambitious pitch to host the Olympics in 2036. The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has submitted a ‘Letter of Intent’ to host the Games. The IOA has been in consultation with the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) Future Host Commission. With the IOC in the midst of electing its new president in place of Thomas Bach, the real picture would only emerge after the elections.

“We will have to wait for the elections to get over. After that, we will move to discuss the venue and viability for the Games and if the commission feels we have a good chance, only then serious talks will happen,” said a source close to the IOA.