In the long jump at the start – Ehammer: “Winning a Diamond League meeting would be awesome” – Sport

Simon Ehammer will mix with the long jump specialists in the next 2 months. First stop: Rabat.

After his successes in the decathlon, Simon Ehammer will soon mutate into a long jumper. As the Appenzeller announced at an early stage, he would first like to shine in his special discipline – with the World Championships in Eugene (USA) in July as the highlight. He only scheduled the next decathlon for the European Championships in August in Munich.

Right from the first stop in Rabat, where he completed a Diamond League meeting on Sunday for the first time since Weltklasse Zürich last year (from 8:00 p.m. live on SRF info and in the Sport App), the ambitious Appenzell native set himself the usual high standards Goals. He has made it his mission to do nothing less than write athletics history for Switzerland.

Another milestone in the dream season?

“Of course, winning a Diamond League meeting would be awesome. I think I have the best qualifications to do it this weekend or in Oslo (on June 16, note d. editor) to create,” Ehammer told SRF before leaving for the Moroccan capital on Friday. No Swiss athlete has ever managed this feat.

It is no coincidence that the 22-year-old is so self-confident. Last weekend, in the all-around mecca in Götzis, Vorarlberg, he rose to the top of the year’s world best list in the long jump. Against this background, the fact that the 8.45 m meant a new Swiss record was almost just a side note. Ehammer had improved his own mark from the meeting in Ratingen, Germany, by 15 centimetres.

Don’t be afraid of big names – why should you?

As impressive as these figures are, confirmation is now required. But Ehammer doesn’t allow himself to be put under pressure. Neither by the competition nor by your own expectations.

In Rabat, the crème de la crème come together in the long jump. Greek Olympic champion Miltiadis Tentoglou will also be there, as will bronze medalist Maykel Masso (Cuba) and world champion Tajay Gayle (Jamaica). But nobody came close to Ehammer’s 8.45 m this year. Tentoglou made it as the second best at 8.36 m. «The field is of course top-class. But for me it’s just perfect preparation for the World Championships,” says Ehammer, who is aiming for a distance of between 8.20 and 8.40 m and wants to establish himself consistently in this range over the longer term.

Apart from a dry cough, he has recovered from the cold that was still plaguing him in Götzis. But this does not affect him. “I’m in good spirits that I can perform 100 percent.”

Excursion on time

In addition to the sporting challenge, Ehammer also expects more media attention from participating in the prestigious Diamond League. Compared to the decathlon, the long jump is like a sprint and therefore more attractive for the TV stations. The shooting star has not been able to complain about a lack of recognition for his achievements in recent weeks. But the larger stage with a live presence in front of a wider audience naturally also attracts sponsors.

Ehammer left no doubt in the “Sports Panorama” three weeks ago that he wants to remain a decathlete in the long run. “For me it’s nice that the long jump works so well. But the decathlon will always come first for me.” The renunciation of the supreme discipline at the World Championships is primarily based on one fact: Two decathlons within 3 weeks, including jetlag, are too much of a burden, especially since the tank is no longer full towards the end of the season.