World Champs Menâ€s Discus — Cool Closer StÃ¥hl Retains Grip On Gold

Daniel Ståhl stayed calm and collected in a trying rain that vexed the field. Then he let loose the winning throw and a flood of emotion. (TAKASHI ITO/AGENCE SHOT)

IN A LAST ROUND of drama on a rain-slickened ring that for most of the competition would have served better as an ice skating rink, Daniel Ståhl returned to the venue where he won his Olympic title 4 years ago and stole the gold from under the nose of World Record holder Mykolas Alekna. In doing so he defended the title he won in Budapest also on his final attempt.

The giant Swede — who measures 6-7½ and weighs in at over 350 pounds — miraculously secured enough footing to unleash a monster throw of 231-2 (70.47) that surely shocked Alekna.

The Lithuanian had led the way since managing a second-round 222-7 (67.84). That throw in and of itself had looked miraculous in what was a dark comedy of lost footing, slippery wet implements and an army of towel-wielding officials failing at the impossible task of drying the ring.

Yet Alekna had no answer to StÃ¥hl with the last throw of the competition. He fouled while going for broke, knowing that heâ€d thrown farther than the â€19 and â€23 championâ€s seasonâ€s best no fewer than 10 times this year.

Once again, Alekna — now transferred to Oregon for his grad student senior season — had to settle for 2nd, just as he had in Budapest two years ago and Paris last summer — not to mention at the â€22 and â€25 NCAAs as a Cal Golden Bear. He finished 3rd at the â€23 NCAA.

Just after 11pm, due to the delay driven by the deluge, StÃ¥hl became the very last champion of Tokyo25 to be crowned, almost 2 hours after Noah Lyles had anchored the U.S. 4×1 quartet to victory in the penultimate event.

“This was my first rainy championships ever,†said StÃ¥hl, whose body language throughout telegraphed a light mood as so many others fumed in frustration. “I tried to focus today as much as possible, focus on not giving up and just staying positive. Sometimes things like this happen. There are delays, the competition takes time. I just tried to reboot my energy.â€

He continued, “Mentally, I was ready for the last throw. I prepared myself for it. You have to be ready and focus. You have to have this different mentality. Today wasnâ€t slippery for me at all because I have really good shoes. This is my favorite arena of all time. It was special in 2021, and it has been special again tonight.â€

The competition started as originally scheduled but after only two throws in a drenched circle, the last of which saw Australiaâ€s â€24 OG bronze medalist Matt Denny skid over badly, the officials wisely waited for a break in the weather and, they hoped, a drier circle before restarting the competition.

No one could go over 210-ft/64m in the first round, but Alekna opened the second stanza with 222-7. For much of the competition that looked as though it would hold up as the winner.

Ståhl secured 2nd with 215-3 (65.60) in the third round and closed further on Alekna with 221-4 (67.47) one throw later but few expected his howitzer closer, which eventually produced the biggest-ever World Champs winning margin of 2.63m (8-foot-7).

Behind the leading pair, Michigan native Alex Rose, who has represented his fatherâ€s country, Samoa, since â€13, moved into the bronze medal position in the fifth round, overtaking Denny with 219-8 (66.96). Rose, who works a full-time day job, got his countryâ€s first ever World Champs medal after both men fouled in the last round.

The U.S. trio of Reggie Jagers, Sam Mattis and Marcus Gustaveson all failed to progress from the prelims.

MENâ€S DISCUS RESULTS

FINAL (September 21) (torrential rain)

1. Daniel Ståhl (Swe) 231-2 (70.47)

(f, 209-1, 215-3, 221-4, 219-8, 231-2) (f, 63.74, 65.60, 67.47, 66.97, 70.47);

2. Mykolas Alekna (Lit) 222-7 (67.84)

(206-4, 222-7, 216-6, f, 211-10, f) (62.91, 67.84, 66.00, f, 64.57, f);

3. Alex Rose (Sam) 219-8 (66.96)

(190-0, 212-0, f, f, 219-8, f) (57.93, 64.63, f, f, 66.96, f);

4. Matt Denny (Aus) 215-1 (65.57)

(193-10, 207-3, 215-1, 214-0, f, f) (59.09, 63.18, 65.57, 65.23, f, f);

5. Mario A. Díaz (Cub) 212-3 (64.71)

(f, 212-3, 196-8, 202-1, 207-3, 208-9) (f, 64.71, 59.95, 61.61, 63.16, 63.62);

6. Andrius Gudžius (Lit) 208-1 (63.43)

(f, 208-1, f, f, r) (f, 63.43, f, f, R);

7. Martynas Alekna (Lit) 207-10 (63.34)

(206-10, 207-10, f, 204-11, f) (63.05, 63.34, f, 62.47, f);

8. Kristjan ÄŒeh (Slo) 206-11 (63.07)

(181-0, f, 206-11, f, f) (55.18, f, 63.07, f, f);

9. Lukas Weißhaidinger (Aut) 204-3 (62.26)

(204-3, f, f, f) (62.26, f, f, f);

10. Connor Bell (NZ) 196-9 (59.97)

(179-6, 195-1, f, 196-9) (54.73, 59.46, f, 59.97);

11. Mika Sosna (Ger) 192-3 (58.60)

(f, 192-3, f) (f, 58.60, f);

… 3f—Henrik Janssen (Ger).

* = progression of the leading throw; ¶ = athleteâ€s best of the day

first 3 rounds

Mykolas Alekna
62.91*
67.84*¶
66.00

Denny
59.09
63.18
65.57¶

ÄŒeh
55.18
f
63.07¶

Ståhl
f
63.74
65.60

Díaz
f
64.71¶
59.95

Bell
54.73
59.46
f

Janssen
f
f
f

Gudžius
f
63.43¶
f

Sosna
f
58.60¶
f

Rose
57.93
64.63
f

Martynas Alekna
63.05*
63.34
f

Weißhaidinger
62.26¶
f
f

round 4

Bell
59.97¶

Weißhaidinger
f

ÄŒeh
f

Ma. Alekna
62.47

Gudžius
f

Rose
f

Díaz
61.61

Denny
65.23

Ståhl
67.47

My. Alekna
f

round 5

ÄŒeh
f

Ma. Alekna
f

Gudžius
r

Rose
66.96¶

Díaz
63.16

Denny
f

Ståhl
66.97

My. Alekna
64.57

final round

Gudžius
p

Díaz
63.62

Denny
f

Rose
f

Ståhl
70.47*¶

My. Alekna
f

QUALIFYING (September 19; auto-qualifier 218-2/66.50)

Qualifiers: Ståhl 229-4 (69.90), Čeh 223-4 (68.08), Ma. Alekna 220-4 (67.16), Denny 218-7 (66.63), Janssen 218-1 (66.47), Weißhaidinger 216-3 (65.91), Díaz 215-5 (65.66), My. Alekna 214-6 (65.39), Gudžius 213-10 (65.18), Rose 213-8 (65.13), Bell 213-6 (65.09), Sosna 213-2 (64.99);

Non-Qualifiers: Steven Richter (Ger) 210-2 (64.06), Reggie Jagers (US) 208-7 (63.59), Lawrence Okoye (GB) 208-4 (63.50), Tuergong Abuduaini (Chn) 207-10 (63.34), Ruben Rolvink (Neth) 207-7 (63.28), Lolassonn Djouhan (Fra) 207-1 (63.13), Chad Wright (Jam) 206-3 (62.87), Sam Mattis (US) 206-3 (62.86), Diego Casas (Spa) 205-2 (62.54), Dimítrios Pavlídis (Gre) 205-0 (62.49), Shaquille Emanuelson (Neth) 203-6 (62.04), Victor Hogan (SA) 201-9 (61.51), Juan José Caicedo (Ecu) 199-11 (60.94), Alin Alexandru Firfirica (Rom) 199-5 (60.78), Mauricio Ortega (Col) 198-8 (60.57), Fedrick Dacres (Jam) 198-7 (60.54), Claudio Romero (Chl) 198-5 (60.48), Wellington Filho (Bra) 194-1 (59.16), Marcus Gustaveson (US) 193-11 (59.12), Marek Bárta (CzR) 189-0 (57.60), Nick Percy (GB) 187-3 (57.08), Emanuel Sousa (Por) 186-11 (56.97), Ralford Mullings (Jam) 186-5 (56.82), Jordan Guehaseim (Fra) 185-10 (56.64), Masateru Yugami (Jpn) 185-0 (56.40).

Post navigation

Source link