Injury concerns caused 28-year-old Montler to miss the EC. But last week, the Swedish long jump star received a welcome notice of form. At a competition in Celle Ligure, Italy, he recorded an approved jump measuring 8.01. It was the first time since last year’s WC final in Budapest (when he was sixth in 8.00) that he was recorded for eight meters in a competition.
– Extremely nice to see the eighth grade. It really gives more confidence, he says when SVT Sport reaches him just after a completed training session at Friidrottens Hus in Gothenburg.
“Very good shape”
Montler is now fully training for the Olympics in Paris. To minimize the risk of getting new problems with the heel tendon, he has a slightly modified training plan.
– The body feels very good, I am in very good shape, he says.
How has it been during the year, when the problems kept coming?
– It is clear that it has been difficult. Mostly because I also wanted to be there and jump and fight for the victories, you don’t want to sit at home and watch.
Has it been stressful?
– Nah. Obviously it was a little frustrating for a while when it felt like it didn’t matter what we tested, it just kept coming back anyway. But the goal has always been the Olympics.
Olympic seventh in 2021
Montler was seventh at his only Olympics so far, in Tokyo 2021. He has shown several times before that he is a championship jumper, with, among other things, four EC silvers (three indoors and one outdoors) and an indoor WC silver.
This time, however, he can compete with less pressure on him, as no less than 60 jumpers in the world have jumped longer than his 8.01 this year.
– All of us who are there are competitive people and want to win. So it’s not like I’m going to sit here and say I’m going to be happy to stop having sex, because I won’t, he says, but adds:
– But it has been a special season for me and the expectations for me are not the same as usual. Hopefully it can be positive.