Ratingen 2007 - the new German stars (1)

Connie helped me in Ratingen like Renate did in Götzis.

Maybe Connie isn’t the sunshine in my life but she surely was my sunshine in Ratingen and helped me with everything I needed (as well as Stefan Scheumann did). I most say that it is not my first time in Ratingen and again I met extremely nice people. Claus Marek (sports coordinator) did a good job.

Manfred Osterkamp told me they work with 130 volunteers, and the press was drinking about 20 litres of coffee a day. (No wonder because I already drunk more than two litres in the weekend on my own.)

While Götzis has an absolute monopoly with 241 decathletes (07) over 8000 points followed by Talence 127 (end 2006), Ratingen (44 after this weekend) must be the third multi event meeting in the world, that is, as an international meeting on yearly bases hold in the same place (and in terms of the number of 8000+ athletes). Germany is a special place.

At the end of 2006 there was no country in the world that produced more 8000+ athletes than Germany, although there’s a race with the USA (respectively (59/58).

First news was that some internationals would colour the meeting, like Janis Karlivans and Maurice Smith who both did a very good decathlon in Götzis. There was also a rumour that Krauchanka was invited at first.

All these athletes together with Andre Niklaus, Dennis Leyckes, Norman Müller, Pascal Behrenbruch and I hoped Stefan Drews would at least make the possibility of eight guys over 8200 points. Abele, Schrader, Minah, Gourmet and Frullani could have completed a list of thirteen athletes trying to get over 8000, if the “gods of athletics” where willingly.

But instead there was a rain of injuries and “couldn’t comes”, so of the thirteen athletes mentioned, only eight came from witch Frullani was injured after the 100 metres.

Our hopes rested now on the shoulders of the remaining decathletes to give us a spectacle. And they did, more than we could hope for!

The “Mehrkampf-meeting” started with a meet record and closed with it!

Saturday morning Francois Gourmet started with a time of 10.63 for the 100 metres (w +1,2) and broke the previous meet record of 10.65 from Erki Nool in 2002.

Surprisingly Jacob Minah took the lead from the second event until he completed the discus! The man did a PB in 100/Shot/400/Disc/Jav and the 1500 as well as a first and a second day Pb and a decathlon Pb of 7998 points.

But the biggest surprise was without a doubt Arthur Abele. The new German star did two Pb’s the first day: 10.84 for the 100 metres and 204 in the High Jump plus a first day’s best of 4230 points.

His second day started with a 13.93 best in the hurdles, another deca Pb in the Pole Vault (4.60) and a fantastic 1500 metres in witch he had to run 72 points better than Norman Müller to win. His previous best was 4.19.28. Could he do that again?

It was clear to everyone that he would run a real fast time because at the 1200 metres mark he made 3.30.61, so he ended with 4.18.00! Meeting record for the 1500 metres and an extra 500 euro in the pocket. This young guy will be twenty - one next month!

There where personal bests for Müller in the 400 (47.30) and in the discus (45.10). Norman did his second best decathlon ever.

Behrenbruch had personal bests in the hurdles (14.18) and in discus (49.91), but looked the first day sick and had a very bad 1500 on the second day (5.07.73).

For complete results you only have to look of course on the site of decathlon 2000.

Arthur do you know the site decathlon 2000?

Yes

Arthur did you expect to win?

No not at all!

You knew you where in a good shape?

Yes I was sure to do a good decathlon and I hoped for 8100 points but I am very pleased of course with that higher result. I did also a 10.77 in the 100 metres as well as a 41.69 in the discus and a 4.70 in Pole vault two or three weeks ago, not in decathlon.

Are the events in witch you had Pb’s in the decathlon of today your favourites?

Let’s have a look: yes I really like the hurdles, the high jump and in fact also the 1500 metres.

You’re sure off a ticket to Osaka?

Yes it was agreed that the winner go’s to the world championships.

Andre (Niklaus – was here as a spectator). So you go to Japan Andre?

Yes because of my good result in Götzis (8340p).

In Götzis you told me you hoped to do 8500 this year, do you still see it as a possibility?

In one or two weeks I can start again training, I still hope to do 8400.

Jacob (Minah) are you disappointed that you ended two points short of 8000 points?

No not at all, on the contrary I added 222 points to my personal best.

Norman (Müller) do you know decathlon 2000?

No

In fact it’s the best decathlon site in the world with weekly updates of decathlons from all over the world, data and profiles of a lot of decathletes – also yours is to find there!

Is that so? Then I’ll have to look as soon as possible!

Norman in a short time two decathlons over 8200 points – did you expect to do so well?

No, because I had an operation at my knee last year in june (06) and I had to lay down for two months, but I had (obviously) a good recovery and I’m very pleased with my result because I have my ticket for the worlds, I just have to be prudent with my knee.

Pascal are you disappointed?

Pascal: I am very disappointed!

What went wrong?

I think I most have eaten something wrong, I went often to the toilet the first day and had at least a form of dehydration. The second day was better but I did not recover completely.

No wonder your 1500 was a problem, Osaka is impossible now?

Osaka is only possible if someone gets injured – that’s what happened last year – I went to the European instead of Andre.

Francois (Gourmet) you started very well yesterday?

If I could have done the same second day as in Arles two weeks ago I would have broken my own Belgian record (7950) and do the B limit that stands at 7966 points in Belgium but the pole vault was a disaster. (B limit for world championships)

My personal best is 5.11 and I achieved only 4.60. I needed at least that 4.80. Mentally it’s very hard to continue when you know the goal you wanted to achieve is not possible anymore, I think it affected my javelin and 1500.

When will be your next try?

Probably at the European cup!

Torsten Voss is now trainer of Michael Schrader and is the man that broke the 7year non-stop reign of Daley Thompson (he never lost from 1980 to1986 until Voss came in 1987). I have to ask him at least one question:

Torsten who is the next German Torsten Voss, or let’s say, who are the next German 8500 decatletes in your opinion?

My English is not so good but I think Pascal and Norman are … and maybe Arthur to!