He is the reigning Olympic champion.
But Daniel Ståhl’s form has been worrying.
Expert Miro Zalar also thinks so.
– You can’t call him a favourite, he says.
When the Olympics were decided last time, it was a blue-and-yellow party in the discus, to say the least. Daniel Ståhl held the favorite position and won gold, while Simon Pettersson took a slightly sensational silver. But that’s not really the feeling ahead of this year’s Olympics, in Paris.
Weak form before the Olympics
Simon Pettersson has not even qualified for this year’s Olympic Games, and Daniel Ståhl has suddenly seen himself passed by both one and two throwers in the form of Kristjan Ceh and Mykolas Alekna. And despite the fact that Ståhl competed a lot before this year’s Olympics, the real form has shone with its absence.
When he competed in Hungary earlier in July, Ståhl had his worst competition in six years, when he didn’t even get over 64 meters. This weekend it was time for the Olympic ropes in Malmö, and Daniel Ståhl only had one pass in the entire competition. It measured 64.81, which normally would probably not have been enough for a gold medal fight in a major championship.
“He cannot be counted as that”
Now the expert Miro Zalar, Radiosporten, says exactly what he feels about Ståhl’s weak form before the Olympics.
– It feels a little worrying. The last two races have not been very good. But I’m happy that he continues to compete and it’s very much about feeling for him, says Zalar.
Despite the weak form, Zalar believes that Ståhl should be able to participate and threaten for medals – but he is no longer a favourite.
– He will probably get it together until the Olympics. But he definitely cannot be counted as a favorite anymore. I think it feels like he should be able to join in and win medals.
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