Thriller in discus throwing: Kristin Pudenz is missing eight centimeters - and hardly anyone gets it

Created: 08/17/2022, 12:54 p.m

By: Gunter Klein

Knocked one out: Kristin Pudenz.

© doa/Sven Hoppe

Kristin Pudenz just missed the discus gold.

In the end she is only eight centimeters short.

But because other events are taking place at the same time, hardly anyone notices.

Munich – Discus throwers don't have it easy.

Her discipline seems static, and life was raging around her in the Munich Olympic Stadium on Tuesday evening: There was the men's long jump, the 5000 meter race with the victorious Norwegian superstar Jakob Ingebrigtsen (Germany's Sam Parsons was 6th), and then the 1500 meter race of the decathlon drew all the attention.

Rarely did a thrower have the stage to herself.

The audience was only fully involved from the fifth round.

And right in the middle of a thriller: Kristin Pudenz only missed the title by eight centimeters, so the more constant series didn't help her either.

The title went to Sandra Perkovic from Croatia – but she was also the favourite.

For the Germans it was about making amends after the World Cup, which had failed three weeks ago: Pudenz had stayed under 60 meters, in Munich she delivered a personal best with 67.87 in the fifth round.

Claudine Vita also underlined that her form for the European Championship was correct: with 65.20 she bagged bronze.

Sandra Perkovic, who finished second in Eugene, threw 67.95 on the fifth try - she showed the best nerve when exactly that was called for in a complicated competition.

Pudenz couldn't counter anymore.