Frankfurt/Main (dpa) – The former world-class discus thrower Ilke Wyludda does not expect an upswing at the home European Championship from August 15th to 21st in Munich after the World Cup defeat in Eugene. “We are already in mediocrity. That will also be evident at the European Championships in Germany,” said the 53-year-old Olympic champion from 1996 and European champion from 1990 and 1994 in an interview with the magazine “Leichtathletik”.
The World Cup performance of the German track and field athletes, who only won two medals in the USA, was “a fiasco” for them: “With 19th place in the medal table, countries that have previously counted as developing countries in athletics have overtaken Germany.” The result is the continuation of the decline in German athletics that has been apparent for years.
The Leipzig native sees the lack of “tight structures in the introduction of the athletes, from children to youth to top athletes” as the reason for the poor performance. At the same time, there is a lack of financial resources for helpers and supporters, such as physiotherapists, doctors or sports scientists. “In addition to the armed forces and federal police, even more corporations should agree to help with the prospective planning for athletes,” said Wyludda.
The German throwing area, which was always considered a medal guarantee in the title fights, is “on the descending path”, she found. “As in other discipline groups, the athletes’ performance requirements are also declining in the throwing area. This starts in the youth area and then continues up to the top level.” If you don’t orient yourself forward, you lose contact with the top. “I sometimes lack this sense of entitlement even at the top level,” said Wyludda.
© dpa-infocom, dpa:220809-99-328527/3
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