Germany's Steffi Nerius launches the javelin in the final of the women's event at the 12th IAAF World Championships in Athletics (© Getty Images)
old Steffi Nerius finally struck gold in Berlin to win the Javelin competition in front of the absolutely delighted home fans.
It really seemed like the gold medal in a worldwide championships would slip out of the German’s reach indefinitely, but her first throw of 67.30 metres, a season’s best too, was enough to capture the gold in her eighth World championships in Berlin.
The German veteran didn’t really start the competition as the first favourite although she had been the most consistent of the competitors during the last month before the champs. After Nerius hit that 67.30 first throw, even Russian Olympic silver medallist Mariya Abakumova could not answer even though she had set a big season’s best 68.92m result in the qualification. The reigning Olympic and World champion and World record holder Czech Barbora Spotakova was not her usual self in the competition either finishing with a silver medal this time with a best throw of 66.42m with Abakumova only managing the bronze with 66.06m last round effort.
The competition started with a surprising personal best by Romanian Monica Stoian of 64.51m in the first round. Spotakova also started well with a 64.94 first round effort, but Abakumova’s 63.01m wasn’t very convincing after her big qualifying throw. It seemed like Nerius’ big 67.30m result in round one took others by surprise as there wasn’t too much movement in the rankings in the following rounds.
Spotakova finally hit a good one in round three, 66.42m, which was also her best in the competition with Abakumova moving to third place with a 65.39m effort. Nerius released another good 65.81m throw in the same round with another German favourite Christina Obergföll entering the picture with a 64.34m result.
The competition seemed to end there with no more changes in the top positions before the end of the competition. Nerius won with her 67.30m first round throw with Spotakova in second place (66.42m). Abakumova got her best throw 66.06 in the last round, but that didn’t make her too happy as the bronze medal was hardly consolation after the fact that her only qualification would have easily won the gold.
Monica Stoian of Romania took a surprising fourth place with her first round throw 64.51m with Christina Obergföll fifth (64.34m) followed by another German Linda Stahl who took the sixth place with a 63.23m throw in round two. Former World champion and World record holder Cuban Osleidis Menéndez was seventh with a 63.11m result.
It was a great way for Steffi Nerius to end her career in front of the home crowd. The World championships took eight tries, but finally the gold medal is hers. Nerius had won three successive silver medals in the event 2003-2007 and competed in her first World championships in 1993, also held in Germany 16 years ago. The 37-year-old made the final in seven out of eight tries and collected four medals and one fifth place in the process.
Mirko Jalava for the IAAF
