Primoz Kozmus of Slovenia wins the men's hammer with 79.99m (© Getty Images)
With his winter warm weather training and a few minor injuries behind him, Olympic Hammer Throw champion Primož Kozmus is looking forward to resuming competition as his focus remains on the World Championships in Berlin.
“April is one of the crucial months in a year of an athlete, being the first concrete and measurable indicator of the coming season. After my winter health problems the last month turned out to be quite promising. Although I'm not in the same shape as I was in during the same period last year, I can say I am quite satisfied with my physical and psychological shape.”
“At the end of last week, I opened my season in Warsaw, which was the only true sign of how successful my preparations were and how much damage the injuries have left behind. This week I'm traveling to Brazil for the first time to compete in three meets there. However, I do not expect the greatest start of the season, but by the time of the top event of this season – the Berlin World Championship, I should be ready to show and do my best.”
“This is how my preparatory cycle in the Croatian tourist and sport resort Medulin is slowly coming to an end. A lot of Slovenian and also Croatian athletes, mainly in throwing disciplines, have turned Medulin into a traditional training camp. It can owe it to the fact that it is very close to Slovenia and it can offer better weather conditions, training fields and it can also boast a rich tradition, as it used to be an occasional training resort of quite a few top athletes, including current world record holder in hammer throw Yuriy Sedykh.”
“Otherwise it was also a month of few quite exciting events, still reflecting on my Olympic gold from Beijing. The reception I got in my hometown after returning home from the Olympics was declared by public voters as the best and most memorable event in the last year in my region. Moreover, what I consider as a real honour, I was decorated by Slovenian President Dr. Danilo Türk an Order for great achievements in sport. I joined the selection of four of the greatest names in sport in the last decade in Slovenia, including Olympic shooting champion Rajmond Debevec and rowers Iztok Cop and Luka Špik.”
“I must admit I am not only proud to be included in this great company, but also very thankful and at the same time proud of our president as he is one of the politicians and eminent individuals in general who speak and act in favour of sport and its future development. This I believe is very important for the development, progress and well being of the whole society. Unfortunately we, athletes, although doing a lot, cannot be the only ones who take care of the promotion, reputation and development of this important part of society, but still need, and, in many ways also depend, on the support of the public, politicians and the economy. Top sport, like other spheres of life, cannot act and survive in isolation. At least not any more, not in the modern world.”
Lep pozdrav, Primož
