News17 Jun 2007


Triumph for Abele and Schwarzkopf in Ratingen – IAAF World Combined Events Challenge

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Lilli Schwarzkopf (GER) (© Getty Images)

Ratingen, GermanySpectators in Ratingen witnessed a number of surprises on Day Two of the Erdgas Mehrkampf – IAAF World Combined Events Challenge – meeting, and that surprise also refers to the winners.

Arthur Abele took the Decathlon after steaming away in amazing style in the 1500 metres. He scored a massive personal best of 8269 points and gained automatic selection for the World Championships in Osaka. Second placed Norman Müller collected 8244, while Jacob Minah, the leader from day one, finished third with 7998 just missing out on his first 8000 points.

In fine and warm but windy weather conditions the Heptathlon saw six athletes score more than 6000 points with a tremendous second day performance by Lilli Schwarzkopf that clinched the win, a position which had looked certain to belong to Jennifer Oeser after day one.

Schwarzkopf collected 6343 points after she had been in seventh position, 229 points behind Oeser, after four events on Saturday. Oeser had to be content with second place in the end (6250), while Sonja Kesselschläger also had a good second day and moved up to third with 6,184.

Germans head Challenge standings

But it is Oeser, who now heads the IAAF World Combined Events Challenge which has a first prize of 30,000 Dollars at stake. She has now collected 12,616 points from two events. The second best from Ratingen took over the lead in the Decathlon: Norman Müller now has 16,499 points from two events.


Men’s Decathlon

Arthur Abele did not take the lead in this Decathlon until after the final event. He had opened with 10.84 seconds for the 100m and then went on with 7.42m (Long Jump), 13.43m (Shot Put), 2.04m (High Jump) and 48.51 secs (400m), which had put him into second place after day one with 4230 points.

On Sunday he started with 13.93 seconds (110 m Hurdles), followed by 37.95m (Discus Throw), 4.60m (Pole Vault), 65.23m (Javelin Throw) and 4:18.00 (1500 m). His middle distance time was a meeting record for the traditional event in Ratingen.

“I had started the second day very well, but then the Discus was not good and I did not think that I could turn out to be the winner in the end,” said Abele. “I knew that I had to run 4:28 minutes to qualify for Osaka. And that was my goal. I was very nervous before the start and did not really knew how to run. Then I simply took off and worked well.”

For the first round Marian Geisler set the pace with Abele behind. Then the 20-year-old, who had been seventh in the Decathlon at the World Juniors in 2004, took the lead and increased it steadily. He had to make up some 60 metres to Müller to take the lead – and he had achieved this with almost one lap to go.

Coming from 8012 points Abele improved his personal best by 257 points in Ratingen.

“That is of course a superb result for me. I am especially happy with the Hurdles time and the Javelin. I can do better in the Pole Vault but it was a bit windy today. The discus is the event I am not stable in. So there is room for more improvement,” said Abele.

It had been Müller who looked the likely winner after the Pole Vault. The 21-year-old had cleared 5.00 metres and taken the lead for the first time from Jacob Minah. But in the Javelin Throw, Abele closed the gap to 71 points.

“I did not expect Arthur to make that up in the 1500 metres. And I did my best, but it was sensational how well he ran,” said Müller. His results were as follows: 10.89, 7.40, 14.44, 1.86, 47.30, 14.56, 45.10, 5.00, 61.54 and 4:32.35.

“Of course it is disappointing not to have won here. But on the other hand I have now scored more than 8200 twice and within a space of three weeks. So that is something to build on,” said Müller, who jumped with the ‘wrong’ leg due to a knee problem. “Especially in the High Jump this is a problem. And if this problem is solved I should be stronger.”

It was bad luck for Jacob Minah who missed the 8000 mark by just two points in the end. Still he can be happy for a personal best of 7998 (10.69, 7.53, 13.54, 1.98, 47.53, 14.39, 40.35, 4.70, 49.56 and 4:35.35). Before Ratingen he had a PB of 7776.

Belgium’s Francois Gourmet took fourth with 7795 while Pascal Behrenbruch was fifth with 7740. He had been unlucky on the first day because of a stomach problem that ruined his Osaka chances.

It is said to be certain that André Niklaus, who could not compete due to a minor injury, and Norman Müller will be nominated along with Arthur Abele for the German squad for Osaka.
 

Women’s Heptathlon

Lilli Schwarzkopf won the event and scored more than 6000 points - 13.56 seconds (100m Hurdles), 1.70m (High Jump), 13.41m (Shot Put), 24.90 seconds (200m), 6.34m (Long Jump), 52.87m (Javelin Throw) and 2:12.83 minutes (800m) = 6343pts - and so she got guaranteed selection for the World Championships.

It looks certain that Ratingen’s number two and three will join Schwarzkopf in the German team for Osaka - Jennifer Oeser (13.58, 1.82, 13.85, 24.32, 6.11, 40.98 and 2:14.16 for 6250) and Sonja Kesselschläger (13.80, 1.79, 14.21, 25.45, 6.28, 42.43 and 2:14.04 for 6184).

Julia Mächtig took fourth place in Ratingen with 6162 points, missing third place by just 22 points. Kylie Wheeler (Australia) was fifth with 6098. A bad Javelin Throw of 37.09 metres had ended her hopes for more.

It was also the Javelin Throw where disaster struck for Oeser. After a Long Jump of 6.11m she had still been comfortable in the lead. But then she only threw 40.98m.

“I somehow slipped on all my three attempts. I don’t really know what happened,” said Oeser. “It is a pity. But on the other hand I know that I can normally produce much better javelin throws. So there is nothing to worry about.”

Even a personal best in the 800m of 2:14.16 could not solve the situation for her since Schwarzkopf confirmed that she is the better middle distance runner. She clocked 2.12.83 to finish an amazing comeback on day two.

But what had really turned the whole Heptathlon was the Javelin Throw. While Oeser was struggling badly Schwarzkopf achieved a personal best of 52.87 metres. That propelled her from sixth place right to the top!

“That was a really great second day – this is the Heptathlon, it can be completely different on the other day,” said a delighted Schwarzkopf, who had been third in front of Oeser at the European Championships last year. Despite a bad High Jump of only 1.70 metres she came quite close to her personal best of 6,420 points.

“My High Jump was much better last year, so I hope to improve that. If I achieve this then I could do better. It is amazing that I won here despite this High Jump result,” said Schwarzkopf. “Before the start of day two I had never thought about winning this competition. I only thought it would be great to achieve second or third and gain a ticket for Osaka.”

Jörg Wenig for the IAAF

Click here for RESULTS

 

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