Spank improves to 2.33m to take Eberstadt victory – German weekend summary

Eight days after winning a bronze medal at the IAAF World Championships in Berlin Raúl Spank confirmed his fine form in Eberstadt, Germany: The 21-year-old High Jumper won the competition with a personal best of 2.33m on Saturday (29).
 
Spank improved his PB by one centimetre and then missed 2.35m three times. The High Jumper from Dresden became the first German winner of the Eberstadt event since Carlo Thränhardt back in 1989. Ivan Ukhov (Russia) took second with 2.30m while Jesse Williams (2.27) was third.
 
The women’s High Jump took place on Sunday (30). There was no joy for Germany this time. Ariane Friedrich had to be content with sixth place and a disappointing 1.91m after missing 1.94 m three times. While Friedrich seems to be tired after the World Championships and may look for at least a break, Russia’s Irina Gordeyeva is now in top shape. She jumped a personal best of 2.02m to beat Marina Aitova (Uzbekistan/1.97) and Viktoria Klyugina (Russia/1.94).
 
At a women’s Pole Vault meeting in Beckum on Sunday (30) Fabiana Murer cleared 4.63m at her first attempt to win from Kate Dennison (Great Britain/4.40). Germans Kristina Gadschiew (4.40) and Anna Battke (4.40) followed in third and fourth places.
 
There were two throwers’ meetings at the weekend in Germany. Thum took place on Friday (28) and Bad Köstritz on Sunday (30). World bronze medallist Ralf Bartels still showed great consistency. He won on Sunday in Bad Köstritz with 20.78m after he had taken first place in Thum with 21.03m. Dylan Armstrong (Canada) was second in Thum with 20.60. Bartels had additionally won on Wednesday (26) in Sondershausen with 20.80m.
 
World Champion Robert Harting won the Discus Throw in Bad Köstritz with 65.93m. While he had been absent in Thum, Ben Harradine (Australia) took the event with 62.13m. German Mark Frank produced a fine win in the Javelin in Bad Köstritz on Sunday with 82.03m.