Trouble with LAC javelin thrower: “The pain is deep” – Fürth

This is how it looks when Viktor Ertelt pursues his ambitious hobby javelin throwing and he has registered in accordance with the regulations beforehand. But in Heilbronn everything went wrong.

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Viktor Ertelt returned from the German Youth Athletics Championships in Heilbronn, bent and severely frustrated. Arrived as a medal candidate, a formal error prevented the LAC athlete from starting.

“I really wanted to compete for a medal, that was also very realistic. And so far I’ve always set a new record at my German championships,” reports the 19-year-old. “That was the plan, it didn’t work, and the pain about it runs deep.”

What happened? “I weighed my spear, then I mumbled a bit, and then the starting documents took a back seat,” said Ertelt, explaining his mishap. So far, so the athlete, supervisors have always taken care of the report, but in Corona times, the starting documents are only given directly to the athletes and have to be submitted again by them.

The friend is amazed

Ertelt hadn’t thought of that anymore, and his supervisors hadn’t reminded him of it again. The 19-year-old began to prepare normally for his competition and to warm up until his girlfriend spoke to him: “She said what’s going on, you’re not registered,” reports Ertelt of the moment he realized that something was completely wrong was running.

He immediately approached those responsible and tried to save the situation. “But they didn’t want to be negotiated with them,” complained Ertelt, who was then also told that it wasn’t technically a problem to enter the report.

So that no competitor could complain, you would definitely not do that. Another stab in the athlete’s heart, because the LAC athlete had already spoken to his colleagues. Everyone knows each other among the javelin throwers, and none of his competitors would have objected if the judges had let Ertelt start. But they stayed tough.

The work of a year gone

“It’s not an isolated case either, the same thing has happened to a good friend in Rostock, who was still included at the time. Not me now, but I have to live with it, those are the rules,” says Ertelt, who does not express his disappointment can hide.

“You are looking forward to a competition for a year and then you are not allowed to start because you are frustrated.” As a consolation, the Bavarian Championships at the end of September now remain for him. There he wants to prove himself again. “But that’s difficult because the tension is now naturally gone.”

Cheer on the drive home

After his tragic end, he was not able to cheer his club colleagues as usual. “I was told that it would be better if I leave right away so that I don’t get angry even more when I watch the others.”

Nevertheless, he found out about the other results on the way home. And they brought light and shadow for the LAC Quelle Fürth: U18 hurdler Christian Lino Tomekpe was disqualified in the run-up to a hurdle that was not knocked over in accordance with the rules. For Ronja Wohlfahrt, the goal was to reach the final over 800 meters. She succeeded as fourth in her run. In the final, however, after being brought down by a competitor, she had to be content with eighth place.

Julia Rath, also U18, had reason to celebrate, however. The 1,500 meter runner not only won her semifinals, but also crossed the finish line first in the final. With her time of 4: 30.21 minutes, she left Lisa Merkel behind by more than 1.5 seconds and could be happy about the gold medal.