Germany’s head coach Boris Obergföll was particularly impressed by the fact that Lassi Etelätalo was able to dramatically improve his record at over 30 years old. Öbergföll was in a festive mood, as Julian Weber brought Germany the EC gold.
MUNICH. The European Athletics Championships had a magical decision for the Germans. It didn’t go bad for the Finns either.
German athletes won two gold medals on Sunday evening, the latter of which, the women’s 4×100 meter relay, ended the European Championships in Munich.
The ear-splitting German joy had also been witnessed a moment earlier, when Julian Weber celebrate the gold at the spearhead.
The 27-year-old Weber has been Germany’s fourth, even fifth, best thrower for years. In the past, at least, there have been names like the world champion who broke the world record Johannes VetterOlympic champion and European champion Thomas Röhler and the medalist of the competition with more than 90 meters Andreas Hofmann.
Prize competition places have been tight. However, the 2020s have been a time full of injuries for the German javelin throw. Vetter had to stop the current season, Röhler has just thrown more than 70 meters and Hofmann isn’t much better either. Nor in women Christine Hussong was unable to defend his European title due to injuries.
Against this background, Weber was the Germans’ only card of success. Which I also liked.
– It feels great that we were able to keep the men’s EC title in Germany. Julian has been the only one who has pitched at the level I expected. He has kept hope alive. I’ve been hoping all season that he would make it. Great champion, great show, great competition, Germany javelin head coach Boris Obergföll glowed.
The EC success was preceded by a disappointment at the World Championships in Oregon, where Weber bitterly finished fourth.
– He assured me on the way home that he would succeed here, Obergföll said.
The German champion pilot said that he was only surprised in the final Lassi Etelätalo of bronze. Big.
– It was a total surprise for me. I want to congratulate him. He’s not a young guy anymore, but he’s still throwing for the record at this point in his career (at age 34). Not many guys can do that anymore.
Boris Obergföll played under the surname Henry during his active career. His record is 90.44, which Obergföll threw at the age of 23. The German pilot knows how difficult it is to throw at a high level at the age of 30. His last throw of more than 85 meters came at the age of 30.
– It was precisely against this background that it was a performance worthy of a hat-trick from Lass, Obergföll said.