Coach Gregor Högler and the remainder of the coaches may not keep of their seats within the Olympic Stadium in Rome, girlfriend Hanna and brother Franz and 20 different members of his fan membership who had come alongside have been additionally over the moon – and under, the basic drive from the Innviertel area proudly clenched his fists: Lukas Weißhaidinger received silver within the discus competitors on the European Athletics Championships with 67.70 meters, following beforehand successful bronze on the 2021 Olympic Video games, the 2019 World Championships and the 2018 European Championships. Surprisingly, the European champion was not the world report holder and favourite Mykolas Alekna, however the Slovenian Kristjan Ceh. He threw solely 38 centimeters additional than Weißhaidinger.
It was a thriller proper as much as the final spherical of throwing between one of the best discus throwers. Weißhaidinger reached the ultimate with the fourth best distance within the qualification (63.99 m). After an ice bathtub and a protracted followingnoon nap, the 32-year-old gave it his all from the beginning within the night. It was his first discus competitors with a preliminary spherical and last on the identical day.
Weißhaidinger began with 65.60 and was second following the primary spherical, fourth following 63.07 and nonetheless fourth at 66.78. The competitors now began in line with the present rating, and Weißhaidinger attacked the three athletes forward of him. At 63.99 he was unable to enhance at first. With a powerful 67.70 he moved as much as second place. He scored 64.42 within the sixth try, when silver was already sure as a result of the Swedish Olympic champion Daniel Ståhl, who was fourth (66.84), may not counter.
The change in method paid off for Weißhaidinger within the first season. He now throws extra aggressively and extra from the hips. “One of many hardest issues I’ve ever needed to do as an athlete. Just a few months earlier than, I had my 70-meter throw with the outdated method and received medals with it. However the purpose in thoughts was to be among the many high contenders in Paris,” stated Weißhaidinger.
After silver – he’s the primary Austrian to win two European Athletics Championship medals – his confidence is now assured to be even larger. The Summer time Video games can come.
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