Christina Scherwin of Denmark (© Getty Images)
Denmark’s only female Athletics medalhope in Beijing, javelin thrower Christina Scherwin is looking more optimistic in terms of her participation at the Olympic Games.
After seeing her 2007 season ruined by injuries, Scherwin decided to undergo surgery on her painful shoulder three months ago. Last Friday she then returned to Philadelphia to have the surgeon examine her shoulder, and the doctor confirmed the healing had progressed better than expected.
Scherwin, who was elected to the IAAF Athletes Commission in Osaka, was given the green light to start throwing again.
”This is really great news. It is three weeks earlier than expected because the rehabilitation has worked out so well. And it means that I now can go further on with the next important step in my programme,” the Eugene-based athlete told after the consultation.
Breakthrough in Helsinki 2005
The 31-year-old Dane saw her international breakthrough at the IAAF World Championships in Helsinki 2005, when she came in as a surprisingly 4th after having improved the National record twice in a memorable final.
In 2006 she was able follow up the success when taking the fifth spot at the European Championships in Gothenburg – this time only 19cm short of a medal.
At the IAAF World Athletics Final in Stuttgart she then produced a carrier best with a massive effort of 64.81m – currently placing her in 20th place in the all-time list.
Growing up in Aarhus, Denmark, Christina seemed destined to pick up the tennis racket – her aunt being one of the best local players – but the stadium located next to the tennis courts (where some 20 years later she would produce the current stadium record of 64.06m) soon became more interesting to the 11-year-old girl.
She started out as a talented heptathlete, but soon it became obvious that her greatest talent was in throwing the javelin. At 17 – a few years before the first IAAF World Youth Championships was staged – she set a national junior record at the European Junior Championships taking the sixth spot.
The following year (1994) she improved to fifth place – 18cm short of a medal - at the IAAF World Junior Championships in Lisbon. It looked like the first steps towards a great carrier, but soon injuries would put a hold to her progression.
After years of injuries
She made her come back ten years later - now living in the USA - at the Athens Olympics with a somewhat disappointing result, but soon after she formed a team including Vesteinn Hafsteinsson (coach of Estonia’s Gerd Kanter) and former American javelin thrower Mark Fletcher (whom she would marry in May of 2005) responsible for the training, strength and technique, respectively. A successful collaboration that has now put her back on track.
The future
However, turning 32 in July, Scherwin is aware that she might not have many seasons left as a top thrower.
”I would like to have children, but those plans have to be put on hold, just like my degree in Economics. Right now the aim is the Olympics. Afterwards I will decide whether I want to continue. I might just go on competing until 2010,” she says.
So with the thumbs-up from the surgeon, Scherwin now can continue to pursue what would be a historical medal in Beijing.
Lily Carlstedt (1926-2005) is the only female athlete to win an Olympic medal for Denmark when taking bronze in the Javelin Throw in London 1948.
60 years later history may well repeat itself.
Jeppe Weinreich for the IAAF
