Javelin thrower Julian Weber was overshadowed by top stars Johannes Vetter and Thomas Röhler for years. But in the EM/WM super year, the Mainzer is on the way to becoming the German number one.
Julian Weber is actually a quiet guy. Sometimes so quiet that the world-class performances of the currently best German javelin thrower were regularly lost in the hustle and bustle around the much more present rivals Johannes Vetter and Thomas Röhler. But in the crazy athletics summer of 2022 with home European Championships and World Championships, it should now be over. “The role of the underdog was okay – after all, I haven’t won a title like the others,” said the Olympic fourth-placed on lichtathletik.de: “But this year it’s time for me to assert myself and show myself at the top German level that I belong to the top of the world.”
The 27-year-old athlete reports claims – highly justified: On Monday he increased his home record in Hengelo by 1.25 meters to 89.54 meters. Five German javelin throwers – the still active Vetter, Röhler and Andreas Hofmann as well as Raymond Hecht and Boris Obergföll – have so far surpassed the 90-meter mark. Weber should be the sixth very soon. “I’ve always had problems with injuries, but I’m dealing with them pretty well now. It took a lot of work,” said Weber on Monday afternoon: “Now I’m stable and agile like never before. I’m on the right track, again best throw and beyond.”
Proud of fourth place at the Tokyo Olympics
He kept his word in Hengelo – reliability is his strength. Example of the Olympics: while the German record holder Vetter (97.76 meters) passionately struggled with the Tokyo floor covering, Weber concentrated on his core business and only just missed out on a medal. “In retrospect, I’m super happy with my fourth place,” he says. Sure: ex-world champion Vetter, the sensitive powerhouse, and Rio Olympic champion Röhler, the perfectionist noble technician, play in a higher league in terms of pure potential. However, in the run-up to the World Championships in Eugene/Oregon (July 15th to 24th) and the European Championships in Munich (August 15th to 21st), both were unable to achieve their best performances due to physical problems.
Weber is clearly ahead of Hofmann (87.32 meters) in the German annual best list, worldwide he is number three behind world champion Anderson Peters (Grenada / 93.07 meters) and Jakub Vadlejch (Czech Republic / 90.88 meters) – that smells strongly of one double medal chance. In Tokyo, says Weber, “it just shouldn’t be yet.” But now his heyday could have come: “I’m really looking forward to the European Championships at home. It’s going to be the best competition ever.”
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