Nafissatou Thiam in the heptathlon javelin at the Hypo Meeting in Gotzis (© Jean-Pierre Durand)
World and Olympic champion Nafissatou Thiam and three-time Hypomeeting winner Damian Warner will return to Götzis to defend their titles at the IAAF Combined Events Challenge meeting on 26-27 May.
Twelve months ago in Götzis, Thiam last year set a meeting record of 7013, becoming just the fourth heptathlete in history to surpass 7000 points.
Germany’s world silver medallist Carolin Schäfer, who finished second to Thiam in Götzis last year with a PB of 6836, will also return to the Hypomeeting.
She will be joined by fellow Germans Anna Maiwald, Mareike Arndt and Celina Leffler.
The home crowd, meanwhile, will keenly follow young Austrian talents Sarah Lagger and Verena Preiner. Lagger, the world U20 champion, has a PB of 6083, while Preiner won the European under-23 title last year with a PB of 6232.
Olympic bronze medallist Warner will be aiming for his fourth decathlon victory at the Möslestadion. The Canadian will be motivated by his experience at the recent Commonwealth Games, where he exited the competition after failing to register a height in the pole vault.
Germany’s world silver and bronze medallists Rico Freimuth and Kai Kazmirek will be back in Götzis along with teammates Mathias Brugger, world U20 champion Niklas Kaul and Luca Weiland.
Grenadian brothers Lindon Victor and Kurt Felix are also entered. Felix recently won the Commonwealth title, while Victor is a two-time NCAA champion.
Warner’s compatriot Pierce Lepage will also be in Götzis. Lepage recently earned the silver medal at the Commonwealth Games with a PB of 8171.
Organisers for the IAAF
