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News22 Jul 1999


Zelezny: the return

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Zelezny: the return
By Stéphane Gazarian (AFP)

23 July 1999 – Paris - Many had already given up on him. He himself, at one point, thought it was all over and that retirement from elite athletics was looming on the horizon. But at 33, Czechoslovakia’s Jan Zelezny has recovered from an operation on his right shoulder and returned to the highest levels of javelin competition with a throw of 89.06m in Paris.

"I know now that I can still throw up to 90 metres, and perhaps even further. It is a psychological change, and that is very important in the sports world," explained Zelezny, all smiles and obviously delighted with his performance in the Paris Golden League meeting.

Backtracking to April 27, 1998 in Nymburk: A training session which includes sprinting up a hill pulling a very heavy load, an unexpected fall, a shoulder that gives, and a necessary operation performed immediately in Prague.

"The first four months I really thought it was all over", he admits, remembering that period, a veritable nightmare for the athlete, but in the end a pleasurable time for the family man, "as I was finally able to spend some time with my family and friends", he said.

"I could have stopped competing, as I have already won everything there is to win. But I did not want to be forced to stop because of injury. I want to be able to decide when the time is right", continues the double Olympic Champion (1992 and 1996) and double World Champion in 1993 and 1995.

As in 1989, after a fractured vertebra, he resumed training during the winter, and chose as his destination South Africa in the company of the British triple jumper Jonathan Edwards. Even though he quickly recovered his physique, (1.86m, 77kg), he has had to make changes to his training programme to take account of the injured shoulder.

His return to competition, in Osaka (Japan) in May was a resounding success, but his 87.57m was soon pushed down the world performance lists by the Russian Sergey Makarov (89.93 m) - whom he considers his most dangerous rival as he is the most consistent thrower- Finland’s Aki Parviainen (93.09m), and the German Raymond Hecht (88.69 m).

Defeating three current leading javelin throwers in Paris with only his second throw, means that he is in with a chance of becoming World Champion for the third time.

"I’m not yet 100% fit, but I think I will be amongst the medal contenders in Seville", even though he is wary of "seven very strong adversaries".

Listening to him, it appears that Seville is the not the main objective of his comeback, even if he has not forgotten a disappointing final in 1997 in Athens. The 1999 World Championships would seem to be a stepping stone towards 2000 and Sydney.

"The Games are really very important", he adds, already dreaming of a third (historic!) Olympic title.

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