European champion Niklas Kaul is on course to surpass the norm for the Paris 2024 Olympics after day one of the decathlon in Ratingen.
The 25-year-old from Mainz is in fifth place after five disciplines on Saturday (06/17/2023) with 4157 points. Kaul could crack the Olympic benchmark of 8460 points, especially since his strong disciplines only come on the second day of the competition.
He did particularly well in the long jump, where he missed his personal best by just two centimeters at 7.34 meters. He has already qualified for the World Championships in August in Budapest.
Urena leads in intermediate classification
Jorge Urena took the lead in the intermediate classification with 4292 points. The best German is Felix Wolter from TSV Gräfelfing (4287) as second.
Former World Cup bronze medalist Kai Kazmirek is missing in Ratingen because he is not fit after an injury break. Due to a back injury, the 32-year-old from LG Rhein-Wied had to withdraw from the first World Cup qualifier in Götzis at the end of May.
Schäfer in the heptathlon in front
The former world championship runner-up Carolin Schäfer is in the lead after the first four disciplines in the heptathlon with 3812 points. The 31-year-old from Frankfurt has her sights set on the Olympic standard of 6480 points. “I want to tick them off this year, whether it’s here or at the World Cup in Budapest is up in the air,” said Schäfer.
It’s her twelfth start in Ratingen and she’s already qualified for the World Championships in Budapest. Last year’s winner from Ratingen, Sophie Weißenberg from Leverkusen, is in second place with 3744 points.
