The silver shines, but Jorinde van Klinken needs to see the real beauty of her performance. “It says a lot that a Dutch woman has never achieved this,” says the 25-year-old athlete from Assen about her medal. “To be the first, you never expect yourself. It’s special.”
After her silver EK medal, and two fourth places in the World Cups of 2022 and 2023, it was time for more. The medal came, but it wasn’t gold. The American Valarie Allman has not lost a match for two years and seized the world title in Tokyo. For Van Klinken remained as’Best of the Rest ‘ the silver over.
Van Klinken: “Discus has always had a very high level in Europe, so winning a medal means something. An American wins here, which says that the level is even higher. A medal at a World Cup means that you have defeated almost everyone in the whole world. Then you can only be proud, I think.”
Yet her thoughts go to what else had been in it. After Allman had opened the final strongly (67.63 meters) Van Klinken replied with 67.50 meters, her best attempt ever at a title tournament. “Quite crazy, my first is almost never my best throw.”
“It was not a special throw to produce 67 here. If it was a little better, I think it was a very distant right away.” In the five remaining attempts there was no improvement for her. The ‘special’ throw was not forthcoming. “I notice that it takes a lot of energy to be happy. What you go for and how it ends does not fully line up.”
Do not think that Van Klinken has an acid feeling left of the final. She is proud, “Megatrots” even. But: “I am not crazy because I don’t just get my happiness out of the performance. I enjoyed it here. Nice throwing. Knowing that I am at my best and get everything out of it.” Enjoying the silver is still coming, she promises. “I’m still a little too much in my focus of the competition, I’ll be a little happier soon.”
And sounding is not yet ready. The discus can be in the bag, next weekend she will play among the best shot putters in the world. Another chance to enjoy in the packed National Stadium of Tokyo. “This is the best moment of the year, everyone is in their best form and then to get it out battle Is the best thing about athletics. “
First she goes into the center of the Japanese capital to celebrate the success. “Alida really wants to go to the McDonalds,” she says about roommate Alida van Daalen, who became eleventh in the discus final. “And I think we will also go to the Karaokebar.”
“Super, really bizarre,” says Van Daalen in turn about the number two, with whom she already trained together at Papendal at a young age. “She really wrote history. And also very special that there are two Dutch people in the final for the first time, from such a little country.”
The 23-year-old World Championship-Debutante often hopes to be in finals together with Van Klinken. “She is very strong. With the first attempts, she immediately shows what she can do, I can still learn a lot from that.”