Robert Harting dominates the discus, note by Larry Eder, European Results, from January 19-20, 2013, by Alfons Juck

Robert Harting, photo by PhotoRun.net

Robert Harting has won world championships in 2009 and 2011. In the 2007 World Championships, Harting took the silver. His 2009 World Champs victory is that of legend, on his sixth throw, in second place, Harting unleashed a huge 69 plus meter throw to take the lead. Piotr Malachowski could not respond and Harting won, in his home city in front of his crowd.

In 2012, Harting won the European Championships and then came back and won his first Olympic gold medal, in London.

Harting is 6-7, and 280 lbs, competes for SCC Berlin and has been coached by Werner Goldmann. Goldmann was the coach of German great Ulf Timmerman.

I have been lucky enough to watch Harting throw and speak to him about his view of the discus and competition. Robert Harting is looking for that perfect throw, and also is very critical of his own throwing. For Harting, it is not about just winning a competition, it is about reaching his goals in terms of distances and consistency. In 2011, at FBK Hengelo, Harting was not happy after his throwing.

In 2012, Harting reached 70 meters for the first time, with a throw of 70.31 meters, in May in Germany. After his 2012 season, with 34 discus wins in a row, Harting had surgery and is planning for the 2013 season.

Will he defend his title in 2013? It will be a fascinating battle….

EUROPEAN RESULTS (Rapatz 1:47.87, Vitonis 803, Tumi 6.61, Sailer 7.20)

LVIV (UKR, Jan 19): European champion 2010 Russian Aleksandr Shustov won the traditional High Jump meet “Oleksiy Demyanyuk Memorial”. The 28-years old opened his indoor season with 223. Ukrainian Viktor Shapoval finished second with the same 223 and third his compatriot Andriy Rubel 220. In women field Viktoriya Dobrynska became the first with 1.86m. World Youth silver medalist 2011 Iryna Herashchenko won the junior category and cleared personal indoor best 1.83.

VIENNA (AUT, Jan 19): Austrian Andreas Rapatz started into the indoor season with 1:47.87 at season opening meet in Dusika Hall and achieved so the Goteborg standard for the 800 m. Second French Brice Leroy 1:48.07 PB. Croatian champion Alen Melon improved to 222 in the high jump. Yekaterina Kuntsevich jumping for Austria cleared 190 in the women competition.

KULDIGA (LAT, Jan 19): First 8+ long jump of the year at Katrinas Kauss International meet (EAP Circuit). Lithuanian Tomas Vitonis leaped in last round of long jump to huge PB of 803 cm. His previous from last summer was 775 cm. Elvijs Misans won the 60 m in 6.79 and local combined events star Laura Ikauniece won the 60 m hurdles in 8.69.

ANCONA (ITA, Jan 19): 31-years old Michele Boni improved here to 16.65 in the triple jump.

MODENA (ITA, Jan 19): Michael Tumi clocked impressive life-time best 6.61 at 60 m here to win his heat. In the final the winner Fabio Cerutti got 6.69.

FERMO (ITA, Jan 19): New Italian junior indoor record in pole vault by Roberta Bruni 430 cm.

MOSCOW (RUS, Jan 19): World indoor finalist from Istanbul Konstantin Shabanov clocked during second day of Moscow U23 Championships in guest race 7.75 at 60 m hurdles. Good quality personal best 455 by Anzhelika Sidorova in women pole vault ahead of Angelina Zhuk 445 cm (also a PB). Svetlana Denyayeva got 13.96 PB in the triple jump.

ZURICH (SUI, Jan 19): Swiss champion Rolf Malcom Fongue clocked here 6.71 at 60 m and missed the Goteborg standard only by 0.01 s.

REYKJAVIK (ISL, Jan 19): The ReykjavÃk International Games had for first time EA Indoor Permit status. Big talent of Island athletics the world junior 4th placer from Barcelona Anita Hinriksdottir (17 years) improved national indoor record also for seniors to 2:04.79 what was the best result of the day. Best male result also in the 800 m by German Kevin Stadler 1:50.67.

POMBAL (POR, Jan 19): Two Portugal junior records during first day of national junior championships. Carlos Nascimento 6.80 in the boys 60 m and Catia Azevede 55.96 in the girls 400 m.

VAXJO (SWE, Jan 19): Danish Nick Ekelund-Arenander clocked at Best Western Games here 46.96 in the 400 m what is new Danish indoor record.

LUXEMBOURG (LUX, Jan 19): Solid guest results at National Championships. German Patrick Domogala clocked 21.22 in the 200 m and French Alice Decaux achieved 8.26 at 60 m hurdles.

GERMAN RESULTS (Regional Championships)

BERLIN (GER): At regional indoor championships in the “Rudolf Harbig Halle” Carsten Schlangen won the 3000 m in a solo race timed with 7:56.57. Maximilian Kessler scored a good double with 60 m in 6.82 and 200m in 21.23.

CHEMINTZ (GER, Jan 19): Martin Keller clocked 6.72 in the 60 m.

LUDWIGSHAFEN (GER, Jan 19): Kristina Gadschiew started into the season with 450 pole vault clearance.

LEVERKUSEN (GER, Jan 19): Goteborg standard for Karsten Dilla with 565 cm in the pole vault.

KIENBAUM (GER, Jan 19): Winter throwing by Anna Ruh 61.38 in women discus and brother of olympic winner Christoph Harting got 58.16 in men competition.

SINDELFINGEN (GER, Jan 19): 2010 European champion Verena Sailer clocked impressive 7.20 to start her indoor season. This time she achieved in heats, in the final then 7.25. Decathlete Arthur Abele won the hurdles in good 7.87, life time best.

OTHER RESULTS

NAIROBI (KEN, Jan 19): At Ngong Race Course the 21st Police CC Championships were held. Dubai Marathon winner Lucy Kabuu won the women 8 km race while World cross-country junior champion Geoffrey Kipsang also blew away a star-studded field of men 12 km. Kabuu clocked 27:17 ahead of marathon world champion Edna Kiplagat (27:18) and Janet Kisa (27:23). Three-time world cross-country silver medalist Linet Masai (27:29), new name Viola Kimeto (27:30) and Edith Chelimo (27:33) followed. Vivian Cheruiyot (28:00), marathoner Isabella Ochichi (28:48) and two-time world steeple medalist Milca Chemos (29:25) came in 10th, 18th and 23rd respectively. Kipsang clocked 35:00 ahead of marathon runner Geoffrey Mutai 35:54, London 5000 m finalist Isiah Koech 36:19, Philemon Kimeli 36:27, Bernard Kipyego 36:35 and Levy Matebo 36:39. Lucas Rotich coming back from knee-injury was 10th and olympic 1500 m winner Asbel Kiprop 14th.

THIKA (KEN, Jan 19): The Nation writes that new order was established at the Kenya Defence Forces CC Championships at Thika Barracks when Leonard Oloitiptip and Gladys Cherono claimed their victories. The 22-year-old Oloitiptip who claimed his first Forces victory in 36:07 after finishing fourth at last year’s championships in a race won by Laikipia’s Mark Kiptoo. Second Peter Mateelong 36:09 and third Linus Chumba 36:16 ahead of World CC Champion Joseph Ebuya 36:19 and Kiprono Menjo 36:22 and title defender Mark Kiptoo 36:24. Gladys Cherono clocked 27:40 at 8 km ahead of Linet Chepkirui 27:46 and Gladys Chemweno 27:47. World marathon medalist Sharon Cherop was 7th 28:02.

SYDNEY (AUS, Jan 19): From Australian Youth Olympic Festival also to note the long jump of Chinese Jianan Wang 786 cm.

OTHER NEWS

RABAT (MAR): Latest update after FridayÂ´s accident says that Rashid Ramzi and Youssef Baba left the hospital after several controls. They did not register anything serious.

ALMATY (KAZ): Vice-president of Kazakhstan Athletics Federation Aleksey Kondrat informed the national media that mostly all Kazakh London Olympic participants will miss indoor season. “Our athletes will begin summer preparation too early this year as Asian Grand-Prix series will start on the end of April. That’s why athletes will go to Thailand training camp in middle of February.” Kondrat said that they have plans to open Olga Rypakova’s preparation center in her birth place Ust-Kamenogorsk. Aleksey Kondrat also underlined that 31-year-old decathlon reigning Asian Games champion Dmitriy Karpov is not going to finish his career. “Despite his current results Karpov is still the best in his events in Asia. Dmitriy will be performing till Asian Games 2014 for sure and he plans to win there” Kondrat added.

OFFENBURG (GER): Discus olympic and world gold medalist Robert Harting was one of the guests at SaturdayÂ´s most famous german TV-Show â€žWetten dass..?”. The show is always fully loaded with international stars. Other guests on Saturday were Biathlon-Star Magdalena Neuner, Hollywood-Star Denzel Washington, Movie Stars Christiane HÃ¶rbiger, Matthias SchweighÃ¶fer and Comedian Ralf Schmitz.

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Author

Larry Eder

Larry Eder has had a 52-year involvement in the sport of athletics. Larry has experienced the sport as an athlete, coach, magazine publisher, and now, journalist and blogger. His first article, on Don Bowden, America's first sub-4 minute miler, was published in RW in 1983. Larry has published several magazines on athletics, from American Athletics to the U.S. version of Spikes magazine. He currently manages the content and marketing development of the RunningNetwork, The Shoe Addicts, and RunBlogRun. Of RunBlogRun, his daily pilgrimage with the sport, Larry says: "I have to admit, I love traveling to far away meets, writing about the sport I love, and the athletes I respect, for my readers at runblogrun.com, the most of anything I have ever done, except, maybe running itself." Also does some updates for BBC Sports at key events, which he truly enjoys.

Theme song: Greg Allman, " I'm no Angel."

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