Franka Dietzsch of Germany takes gold in the Discus Throw (© Getty Images)
time World champion Franka Dietzsch showed she'll be an extremely difficult champion to topple in Osaka later this summer, after her dominating victory in the Discus Throw at the annual throwing meeting in Halle, Germany, on Saturday (19).
The 39-year-old, who captured the world title in 1999 before returning to the top of the podium in Helsinki two years ago, produced a massive 68.06 throw in the second round, to easily fend off the challenge of runner-up Elizna Naude of South Africa. The South African reached 63.64, the second best throw of her career, bested only by her 64.87 continental standard set in March at home in Stellenbosch.
Nadine Müller reached a career best 62.93 to finish third.
Christina Obergföll nailed a final round 68.08 to wrestle the win - and the 2007 world lead - from compatriot Steffi Nerius in the Javelin Throw. For the 25-year-old Obergföll, it was the second farthest throw of her career, behind only the 70.03 European record she acheived when taking silver at the 2005 World Championships in Helsinki. Obergföll produced a solid series, backed up by 66.57 and 67.72 efforts.
Nerius, the previous world leader, reached 64.74 in the second round to finish second, her best of the young season.
27th straight victory for Alekna
Like Dietzsch, Virgilius Alekna just keeps on rolling. The two-time defending Olympic champion in the Discus Throw is showing that a fourth World title this summer is a strong possibility after another solid early-season outing, this time reaching 69.97 to take a commanding victory. It was the 27th straight victory for the 35-year-old Lithuanian, currently the longest win streak in the sport.
Zoltan Kovago of Hungary was a distant second (65.19), with Germans Robert Harting (64.95) and Michael Mollenbeck (64.68) third and fourth.
Heidler pushing 76m
Betty Heidler put together a strong and consistent series en route to her commanding victory in the Hammer Throw. After a 72.38 throw in the first round and 74.31 in the second, she ended with four throws beyond 75 metres, topped by a 75.77 in the third round. It was a significantly better outing for the 23-year-old from her season's opener in Doha where she finished fourth (73.56) and showed that her national record of 76.55 from last year will be continuously under threat this season.
Kathrin Klaas, Heidler's clubmate and also 23, was second thanks to a 73.45 throw in the second round, eclipsing her 71.67 personal best from last year. Although she struggled, Poland's Kamila Skolimowska was third with a 73.22 toss.
Elsewhere, Slovak Libor Charfreitag won the men's Hammer Throw with a 79.63 throw over Hungary's Krisztian Pars (78.76), German Mark Frank (81.57) won the Javelin Throw, while Ralf Bartels (20.56) and Petra Lammert (19.00) took top honours in the Shot Put.
Bob Ramsak for the IAAF
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