Berlin - Yeah! She was the initial spark. A medal on the first day of competition, of which the German track and field athletes have dreamed at the World Championships in Berlin. And last night was Shot Colossus Ralf Bartels this dream with bronze also true.
With great force the Neubrandenburg European champion heaved the 7.25-kilogram ball 21.37 meters. This was third place behind the new world champion Christian Cantwell in the U.S. (22.03 meters) and the Polish Olympic champion Tomasz Majewski (21.91 m).
"Now I have the first medal. Bronze is cool. I'm over the moon," beamed Ralf Bartels - and started with a huge Germany flag on a victory lap through the unfortunately sparse Olympiastadion.Bartels hopes that "by now a jerk the whole team goes. "of the 139-pound athlete:" I will give to the other with my performance that even the impossible is possible. "
At the first German medal hope, however, was not the hoped-for possible. Walker Andé Höhne marched in the 20-kilometer-wide competition for a medal over, landed in the end, completely exhausted and depressed at the 14th Rank.
"Too bad, I wanted a medal. The race was very hard and fast, "said the Berliner.Höhne tortured in the second half to stretch to the finish. Reason: After ten kilometers, he went to a small stone in the shoe, he pressed the heel and caused pain. Höhne: "I wanted to be a wimp and got bitten on my teeth and went through despite heel bruise." Gold medal, the Russian Valery Bortschin.
