Speer launcher Julian Weber presented himself in a strong constitution at his World Cup general rehearsal. The Mainz improved his own world year best to 91.51 m around two weeks before the title fights in Tokyo (13th to 21st September) and with the triumph at the Diamond League final again underpinned his ambitions on the first World Cup medal of his career.
Already in the previous week, the former European champion with 89.65 m in Brussels had set an exclamation mark after somewhat weaker competitions. One day before his 31st birthday, he had further follows: In the first attempt, the spear flew over his previous personal best to 91.37 m, in the second round his best attempt of the day followed.
In Tokyo, the sports soldier, who had entered the club of 90-meter thrower as a seventh German last May, hopes for his first medal on the very big stage. At the 2021 Olympic Games in Tokyo and at the World Championships 2022 and 2023, it had “only” fourth place. He had finished sixth in the summer games in Paris.
“Yes, of course there is already some pressure,” Weber said last month with a view to the World Championships. He also makes the pressure himself, but he is convinced: “I can actually handle it very well.”
The last of the 32 overall winners in this year’s Diamond League season were chosen in Zurich’s Letzigrund on Thursday. Overall, a record amount of $ 9.24 million in prize money will be distributed this year.