At the all-around meeting in Götzis, the German all-around athletes are raising European Championship hopes early in the season.
World champion Leo Neugebauer celebrated his first podium finish at the prestigious decathlon meeting in Götzis. With 8,730 points in second place, the 25-year-old from Stuttgart wasn’t missing much for his debut victory in Austria.
Decathlon world champion Leo Neugebauer: “Cool opener”
After a “cool first day” at the “cool opener”, the German record holder Neugebauer was also in good form on day two in Austria. On Sunday, however, a weak 50.77 meters in the discus and only 58.46 meters in the javelin prevented him from getting a better score. Neugebauer had to admit defeat to the Swiss Simon Ehammer, who was 48 points better.
Ehammer, who improved American Ashton Eaton’s 14-year-old heptathlon world record indoors in March, was able to celebrate another record in Austria. With 8.51 meters in the long jump, the Swiss topped his own decathlon world best.
Best prospects for EM in August
Last year, Neugebauer started the season in Götzis with 8,555 points and fifth placein the end the shining man of German athletics was crowned in Tokyo to the King of Athletes (8804 points). His best performance is 8,961 points.
With his result, the VfB Stuttgart athlete is already raising hopes of a good performance at the European Championships from August 10th to 16th in Birmingham. “I have a few decathlons planned this season, next comes Ratingen, then the European Championships in Birmingham and perhaps Talence at the end of the season,” Neugebauer outlined his season schedule.
Mainz’s Niklas Kaul comes third
With a strong comeback, former world champion Niklas Kaul worked his way up to third place in the last two disciplines, javelin throw and 1,500 meters, as in the previous year and had “a lot of fun,” said Kaul, who ended up with 8,528 points.
“At one point or another I was a bit annoyed with myself and that I didn’t trust my body as much as I would like, but overall I ended up with a 90 percent decathlon that I’m very happy with,” said the 28-year-old from USC Mainz. Kaul also wants to cure his “aches and pains” by Birmingham, then he too will go to the European Championships with good prospects.
Heptathlete Emma Kaul with best performances at premiere
And for another member of the Kaul family, the traditional all-around meeting was successful: In her first heptathlon in Götzis, Emma Kaul achieved three personal bests straight away: the Mainz native was able to improve in the 200 meters, in the javelin throw and in the long jump. She finished sixteenth with 6,104 points.
“It was a great start to the year and I didn’t expect that this number of points would be there at the end. I did expect some performances, but against this backdrop it couldn’t have been any other way,” said the 20-year-old from Mainz, who looks back on two intense days: “You underestimate it. It’s in the 800 meters that you first realize what strength has actually been lost.” Meanwhile, the heptathlete avoids watching her brother Niklas: “It’s always very bad for me to see him. I’m much more excited than during my own competition,” admitted Emma Kaul.
Great joy after a long period of suffering and Olympic drama
Leverkusen’s Sophie Weißenberg was happy about a big comeback after her Olympic drama when she tore her Achilles tendon during the warm-up. The 28-year-old took fourth place with a personal best of 6,449 points. “I didn’t expect it at all, but after the hurdles I was emotional for a moment,” said Weißenberg, who had to miss more than 20 months. The victory went to the Swiss Annik Kälin, who set a national record with 6,726 points.
