Pole vaulter Oleg Zernikel secured his ticket to the World Athletics Championships in Budapest at the True Athletes Classics in Leverkusen. Javelin thrower Johannes Vetter was not granted that.
The 28-year-old Zernikel from ASV Landau jumped 5.65 meters and shared the victory at the athletics meeting with Turkey’s Ersu Şaşma. Zernikel thus fulfilled the confirmation standard of the German Athletics Association (DLV) for the World Championships in the Hungarian capital (19th to 27th August 2023/live in the stream on sportschau.de and on ARD).
Bo Kanda Lita Baehre worried about the start of the World Cup
Pole vaulter Bo Kanda Lita Baehre is another German hopeful who is worried about his start at the World Cup. The EM second is still suffering from the consequences of a fall into the puncture box at the Diamond League meeting in Monaco a week ago.
Lita Baehre escaped from the fall with bruises, but on the sidelines of the meeting in Leverkusen, the German champion said on ARD that his start would be decided in the next few weeks. “The liquid has to go out. If it stays in, then the World Cup won’t happen for the time being,” explained the 24-year-old.
Claudine Vita wins the discus throw
Discus thrower Claudine Vita also delivered a top performance. The 26-year-old from SC Neubrandenburg in Halle threw the disc 64.05 meters and won easily. But she already broke the World Cup standard of 64.20 in June in Schönebeck, where she threw 65.51 meters. She is almost certain of a place at the World Cup. Kristin Pudenz and Shanice Craft have already fulfilled the World Championship requirements and are going to Budapest.
Nomination period ends July 30th
It was the first major showdown of the track and field elite at national level after the German championships. For many of the German starters in 13 disciplines it was about what might be their last chance to reach the norm and thus qualify for the World Championships.
So far, the DLV has officially nominated 28 athletes for the World Championships in Budapest – 14 women and 14 men. Long jump Olympic champion Malaika Mihambo had to cancel due to injury. But even after the end of the nomination period on July 30, qualification is still possible. In this way, the athletes can also recommend themselves via the world rankings.
complicated system
World Cup standard, DLV confirmation standard, world rankings – the nomination criteria are complicated. So it was not enough for 1,500 meter runner Marius Probst in Leverkusen for Budapest. He therefore announced in the ARD sports show that he wanted to compete in Luxembourg on Sunday, the last day of the nomination period, in order to collect more points in the world rankings.
Javelin thrower Vetter misses the World Cup norm in Weber’s victory
The former javelin throwing world champion Johannes Vetter did not manage the hoped-for performance for the jump to Budapest after a long injury break. Vetter, who has been suffering from shoulder problems for a long time, threw 80.82 meters. With this best performance of the season, the 30-year-old from Offenburg finished second behind European champion Julian Weber, who won easily with 83.86 meters. However, the international World Cup standard is 85.20 meters.
“I was serious. A lot of things went right today, but not everything went right,” said Vetter afterwards on ARD, referring to automatisms that no longer fit together after a year and a half. “Nevertheless, I leave the competition with relatively little pain, which is a big step,” he added.
Rio Olympic champion Thomas Röhler is even further away from his best performance than Vetter, only got 76.62 meters and fifth place in Leverkusen. At the World Cup in Budapest, Weber will be the only German javelin thrower at the start, and with regard to the 2024 Olympics, Germany’s number one hopes to improve again: “Next year we’ll be complete again, I’m sure.”
Potye sees victory as a ‘way station’
Tobias Potye won the high jump competition, but had to settle for 2.24 meters after his 2.34 meter jump in Chorzow. “It was a stopover before the World Cup, so I’m not dissatisfied. It was important to stimulate training again,” said the Vice European Champion from Munich.
Successes for Gambetta and Eikermann
Sara Gambetta won the shot put competition. She threw 18.38 meters. Marina Purtsa finished second in the triple jump in the victory of Shanieka Rickett from Jamaica, Kira Wittmann was fourth.
Tim Eikermann from Leverkusen won the men’s hurdles with a time of 13.90 seconds. Monika Zapalska (Wattenscheid) finished second in the women’s race in 13.22 seconds behind Celste Meucci of Australia.
In Jamaica’s Briana Williams, Lisa Marie Kwayie finished third in the 100m with 11.53 seconds. Rebekka Haase was disqualified after a false start in the preliminary heat.
In the 4×400 meters, the German mixed relay finished second behind Great Britain and benefited from the fact that Kenya was disqualified because of a faulty substitution.