Sunday 12th September 2021
Everything cut out at the ISTAF
Vetter’s beer dreams come true in Berlin
At the ISTAF in Berlin, the German athletes say goodbye to their vacation. Javelin thrower Johannes Vetter has overcome his Olympic trauma. He organizes beer for the lap of honor. Long jump queen Mihambo has run out of steam.
Johannes Vetter pointed five fingers into the TV camera for five ISTAF victories, then the javelin star wrapped in a Germany flag did his lap of honor. Meanwhile, long jump queen Malaika Mihambo was exhausted on the floor. But even if second place should hurt an Olympic champion: Germany’s best athletes have honored their vacation in Berlin.
“I have 18 friends upstairs here, to whom I told that if I win today and can do the lap of honor, they definitely need beer downstairs. They organized that well,” said a happy cousin. Although he missed the targeted 90 meters with his victory distance of 88.76 m, the fifth success in the capital made up for it. “The tension after the Olympics is no longer there. That’s why I’m super satisfied with almost 89 meters,” said Vetter. The Olympic blues, because of problems with the track surface, Vetter was only a disappointing ninth in Tokyo, is also defeated. Before that, the world’s best of the year had won the Diamond League final in Zurich on Thursday with 89.11 m.
A success of the Will was also the 6.70 m by Mihambo, which was only exceeded by the British ISTAF winner Jazmin Sawyers by three centimeters. After all, Mihamho had almost been unable to train after her triumph at the Olympics due to a bruised heel. And things didn’t go smoothly on Sunday either. “Unfortunately, I twisted my head on the second try, but I fought my way through,” said Mihambo, who nevertheless spoke of an “absolutely successful end” of the season.
Krause very satisfied
Gesa Felicitas Krause (Trier) had recently shown signs of wear and tear, but found something back on track on Sunday. The 3000 m obstacle was won by the European and Olympic fifth in 9: 26.00 minutes. Second was Fancy Cherono (Kenya / 9: 28.81) ahead of Elena Burkhard (Northern Black Forest / 9: 28.98). “It was important for me to win again after my unsuccessful race a few days ago,” said Krause, who will close her year on Friday in Trier. In Zurich, a visibly tired Krause had no chance in 9: 32.69 minutes on Thursday and landed in ninth place.
Kristin Prudenz, surprise runner-up from Tokyo, only had to admit defeat to Olympic champion Valarie Allman (USA) in the discus throwing category. The Potsdam native threw the discus to 64.52 m. Allman meanwhile improved the world best performance for the year with 71.16 m, her personal best distance and the meeting record.
Klosterhalfen back in Germany
Konstanze Klosterhalfen was also quite satisfied. The 24-year-old ran at the ISTAF for the first time in 771 days on German soil and finished fifth in the 1500 m in 4: 05.26 minutes. “For my first 1500 m this year, it’s okay. It definitely turned out well felt, “she said. In Tokyo, the American by choice was a good eighth in the 10,000 m.
Hurdle superstar Karsten Warholm (Norway) did not do any miracles this time over the 400 m. While he had won gold in the world record time of 45.94 seconds at the Olympics, he was a little slower in Berlin. Of course he won anyway, but at the end of a tough season in which he had twice beaten the all-time best, “only” in 48.08 seconds
.