Vetter seals German javelin title with European-leading 87.36m

Johannes Vetter won the javelin title at the German Championships with another European-leading mark of 87.36m and the 2017 world champion is hoping to further surpass this mark in the upcoming weeks.

Just nine days after throwing 86.94m in Kuortane where it was reported he produced a no-throw which landed near the 90 metre-line, Vetter improved his European lead to 87.36m in the third round in Braunschweig. His four valid throws were all in excess of the 84 metre-line and all four throws would have won the title even though the slippery runway was not to Vetter’s liking.

“Throwing 87 meters was great under these conditions anyway; for me it was about delivering and showing distance. I did that with 87 meters and a solid series. You could see that I can do even more. I hope for more in upcoming competitions,” said Vetter who has kept in an optimistic mood this year despite the cancellation and postponement of all the major international athletics fixtures due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“I didn’t let the current situation get me down and made the best of the situation. That’s what I’ve done for the last few years, when I’ve had a hard time due to injuries and other personal problems. I’m a fighter.”

Vetter’s next competition will be the Paavo Nurmi Games in Turku on Tuesday (11) evening followed by another domestic appearance in Leverkusen on Saturday.

The head-to-head with European silver medallist and fellow 90 metre-plus thrower Andreas Hofmann didn’t quite materialise though. Making a belated season’s debut due to various ankle and foot injuries, Hofmann was limited to a best effort of 77.35m.

“On Thursday it wasn’t that bad in practice and I drove to Braunschweig with a good feeling. Unfortunately, I didn’t manage to knock one out,” said Hofmann who will also compete in both Turku and Leverkusen in the upcoming week.

Jumping off an abbreviated run-up of 16 steps and into a headwind, reigning world and European Malaika Mihambo won the long jump title in Braunschweig with a fifth round jump of 6.71m into a 1.2 m/s headwind.

“I am satisfied with the distance because I jumped off a very short run with only 16 steps. I have never done that,” said Mihambo. “This year I will not extend the run-up any more and will continue to jump from 16 steps. In preparation, things didn’t go as I had wished. I also took enough time to heal my back injury.”

One week after improving to 10.08, Denis Almaz consolidated his shape by winning the German 100m title in 10.09 while Lisa Marie Kwayie won a competitive women’s 100m in 11.30 from Rebekka Haase in 11.34.

There were also victories at the German Championships for reigning European champions Christin Hussong in the javelin with 63.93m and Mateusz Przybylko in the high jump with 2.28m but two-time European 3000m steeplechase champion Gesa Felicitas Krause was a non-finisher in her specialist event.

World fourth-placer Bo Kanda Lita Baehre cleared a lifetime best of 5.75m in the pole vault and Max Hess won the triple jump with 16.58m