Javelin thrower Jakub Vadlejch started the season in second place at the opening meeting of the Diamond League in Doha, where he was the second Czech in history to cross the 90-meter mark. The silver Olympic medalist from Tokyo twice improved his personal record during the competition to 90.88 meters.
Vadlejch was not enough for the reigning world champion from Doha Anderson Peters of Grenada, who secured the victory in the last series with a throw of 93.07 meters. The 24-year-old athlete exceeded his personal maximum by almost six meters and ranked fifth in the historical tables, led by Jan Železný. Its world record of 1996 is 98.48 meters.
However, the Czech medalist from the Tokyo Games did not spoil his mood.
“A dream come true. When I started athletics at the age of 15, I had dreams. A medal from the Olympics and 90 meters. It’s something unreal. 90 meters is a huge milestone and I will remember this day for the rest of my life, as well as the days when I first switched 70s and 80s, “he said after the race.
The second Czech spearman in Doha, Vítězslav Veselý, finished sixth with a performance of 76.92. The bronze holder from Tokyo had only two valid trials.
Vadlejch entered the competition with 84.63 and after the opening series he was second to Peters, who started with a personal record of 88.96. After two invalid attempts, the 31-year-old Czech national team member took the lead thanks to a throw to 89.87, which moved his maximum by 14 from the World Championships in London in 2017, where he won a silver medal.
On the fifth attempt, Peters was the first to cross the extra class (90.19), but Vadlejch immediately attacked again and threw him over. In the super final for the three best trustees of Jan Železný from Prague’s Dukla, he performed 85.50, while his Grenadier javelin thrower with a 93-meter high-speed race.
“I’m here for the second time and I love it here,” said Peters, who sensationally dominated the Doha World Championships in 2019, where Vadlejch was fifth. Third place went to German Julian Weber today, who threw 86.09.
Many of Doha’s performances were affected by a strong wind, which even canceled the pole vault competition with Swedish world record holder Armand Duplantis.
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Introductory meeting of the Athletic Diamond League:
Men:
200 m (wind +2.1 m / s): 1. Lyles 19.72, 2. Kerley (both USA) 19.75, 3. Richards (Trin.) 20.15.
800 m: 1. Kibet (Kenya) 1: 49.08, 2. Bol (Austr.) 1: 49.35, 3. Arop (CAN) 1: 49.51.
1500 m: 1. Kipsang 3: 35,70, 2. Cheruiyot (or Keňa) 3: 36,16, 3. Lemi (Et.) 3: 37,06.
400 m BC: 1. Dos Santos (BRA) 47.24, 2. Benjamin (USA) 47.49, 3. Barr (IR) 49.67.
3000 m BC: 1. Bakkalí (MAR) 8: 09.66, 2. Girma (Et.) 8: 09.67, 3. Kibiwot (Kenya) 8: 16.40.
Height: 1. Sang-hjok (Korea) 233, 2. Barshim (Qatar) 230, 3. Lovett (CAN) 227.
Javelin: 1. Peters (Gren.) 93.07, 2. Vadlejch (CZE) 90.88, 3. Weber (DEU) 86.09,… 6. Veselý (CZE) 76.92.
Women:
200 m (+1.3 m / s): 1. Thomas (USA) 21.98, 2. Jackson (Jam.) 22.07, 3. Asher-Smith (Brit.) 22.37.
400 m: 1. Paulin (Dom. Rep.) 51.20, 2. McPherson (Jam.) 51.69, 3. Miller-Uib (Bah.) 51.84.
3000 m: 1. Niyonsaba (BUR) 8: 37.70, 2. Kipyegon (Kenya) 8: 38.05, 3. Hull (Austr.) 8: 40.97.
100 m BC (+3.8 m / s): 1. Harrison (USA) 12.43, 2. Amusan (NGA) and Anderson (Jam.) Both 12.44.
Triple jump: 1. Ricketts (Jam.) 14.82, 2. Bechová-Romančuková (UKR) 14.73, 3. Lafondová (DOM) 14.46.
Balls: 1. Ealey 19.51, 2. Ewen 19.32, 3. Ramsey (all USA) 18.99.
