Tim Lobinger of Germany in action during the Men's Pole Vault Final (© Getty Images)
One week before the German Championships Tim Lobinger once more showed fine form. The 35-year-old took the Pole Vault at the Dessau meeting on Friday night with a 5.70m jump.
Nigeria’s Doreen Amata tied her national indoor record when clearing 1.89m, which was enough for the win. Performances were not as good as expected and as in the past in Dessau, but atmosphere was once more very good with 1,900 spectators cheering on the athletes, who jumped with their individually chosen music.
“I can not quite say what is actually missing to jump 5.80m. May be it is a technical problem,” said Tim Lobinger, who had a very promising first attempt at that height but then missed it two more times.
Having jumped 5.76m so far this season Lobinger was happy with the win in Dessau, although he would have very much liked to clear 5.80m.
“I think at this weekend it is very important to do well,” Lobinger said, who is going to jump in Leipzig on Sunday again. “I belive that if you win now you will have better chances next weekend at the German championships.”
Warm up for German Championships
The pole vaulters will go into a probably thrilling competition where more than half a dozen jumpers are capable of taking one of the two tickets for the World Indoor Championships in Valencia two weeks later.
There were only three jumpers left in the competition when the bar was taken to 5.60m in Dessau. Lobinger, Lars Börgeling, who decided to pass this height, and Fabian Schulze had made it a German affair.
Schulze, who has a season’s best of 5.76m, did not manage to jump 5.60m in Dessau while Lobinger cleared that height at his last attempt.
“Despite not having jumped 5.60m today I am optimistic regarding the national championships – after all Sindelfingen will be a home game for me,” said Fabian Schulze, who came back from an illness this winter season.
Börgeling had looked promising when he cleared 5.50m at his second attempt, which in the end was good for second place. But he missed out on a season’s best of 5.70m while Lobinger jumped that at his first attempt.
Jeremy Scott (USA) looked great until 5.50m, but then he did not manage to get over that. With 5.40m he took third.
Once again it became obvious that this indoor season does not go in favour of Timothy Mack. The US Olympic champion from Athens 2004 was again well below par. Having jumped 5.40m at his first attempt he then missed 5.50m three times. So far he has not cleared that height this season. Mack was fourth in Dessau.
National record tied
There was a surprise in the women’s High Jump, because Doreen Amata beat a number of jumpers who had entered competition with superior personal bests. But the 19-year-old was confident.
“I knew I would be in with a chance because I had trained well. I expect to jump 1.92m soon. This would be the qualifying standard for the World Indoor Championships, for which I want to qualify,” said Doreen Amata, who also holds Nigeria’s outdoor record with 1.89m.
Her third attempt at 1.92m looked very promising in Dessau. And she hopes to be able to jump in Leipzig on Sunday again.
Three jumpers shared second place: Deirdre Ryan (Ireland), Yekaterina Kuntsevich (Russia) and Karina Vnukova (Lithuania) had all cleared 1.85m at their first attempt. Then all were a bit unlucky not to have cleared 1.89m.
Jörg Wenig for the IAAF
