Tim Lobinger of Germany in action during the Men's Pole Vault Final (© Getty Images)
Tim Lobinger and Danny Ecker qualified for the World Indoor Championships in Valencia in less than two weeks time. Both cleared 5.80m on day one of the German Championships in Sindelfingen.
The men’s Pole Vault was expected to be the most thrilling event of the two-day championships and it did not disappoint the spectators. With two clearing 5.80m and Lobinger just edging out Ecker regarding the fight for the title, this will most probably remain the highlight of the weekend in Sindelfingen. And once again German Pole Vaulters should be in contention for a medal at a major championship.
The best nine German Pole Vaulters were separated by just 20 centimetres (5.60 to 5.80) before the start of the competition and five had cleared the Valencia qualifying standard of 5.70m before they came to Sindelfingen. It was that height that proved to be the main barrier for a number of athletes during the competition. Defending champion Björn Otto, who is not at his best this winter, Lars Börgeling, Malte Mohr, youngster Raphael Holzdeppe and Tobias Scherbarth all missed out three times and were out of contention regarding the tickets to Valencia.
Three remained in contention when the bar was lifted. Lobinger had cleared 5.50 and 5.70 each on his first attempt while Fabian Schulze had chosen a different approach: After clearing 5.50 he jumped 5.65m at his first attempt as well and then went for 5.75m, which he missed at his first jump. After a difficult built-up to the season due to health problems and an injury, the bronze medallist from Osaka Danny Ecker had shown improving form recently. He jumped 5.60m on his second attempt (his failure at his first attempt was why Lobinger was ahead in the end) and then remained extraordinary cool, passing the next three heights!
Having failed at his first attempt at 5.75m Schulze desperately tried to hang on in front of his home crowd, saving the next two jumps for the next height. This was 5.80m, where all three were in contention. Ecker was the first to clear at his second attempt but Lobinger followed swiftly. This put even more pressure on Schulze, who was now back in third place. He went for 5.85m with his last attempt after failing to clear 5.80. But 5.85m was too high for all three.
“I don’t see myself as a favourite. Regarding the season so far I would think that Tim Lobinger and Alexander Straub should earn the tickets for Valencia,” Danny Ecker had said a couple of days before the Sindelfingen event.
But the 24-year-old Straub maybe could not cope with the pressure yet. After a fine season with a win in Birmingham a week ago he only managed 5.40m and missed out at 5.60m today.
“I am very happy with this title and looking forward to Valencia now,” said Lobinger while Ecker stated: “This was an emotionally exciting competition in which a number of athletes jumped well.”
Elsewhere
In the women’s 60m Verena Sailer managed to just dip under the qualifying standard for Valencia for the first time this winter, which is 7.24 seconds. She was one one-hundredth of a second faster taking the national title and the ticket to the World Indoors at the very last minute.
There was a German season’s best in the men’s final as well, which was won by Tobias Unger. The 200m specialist clocked 6.62 to win from Marius Broening (6.64) and Ronny Ostwald (6.65).
As in past years German walkers produced fine performances as well. André Höhne took the 5000m in 19:35.87 while Melanie Seeger clocked 12:12.57 to win the 3000m event.
Jörg Wenig for the IAAF
