Weißhaidinger finishes tenth in discus at European Athletics Championships in Birmingham

Weißhaidinger struggles with the conditions

Weißhaidinger spoke calmly after the competition: "Dass man mit dem klarkommen muss. Man bekommt das natürlich mit. Ich musste im dritten riskieren. Unterm Strich waren die anderen besser. Aber wir haben viel in den letzten Wochen rausgeholt, dass ich überhaupt am Start stehe. Man muss das so akzeptieren." The Upper Austrian, mentioned 42 times in the present reports, had been struggling with health problems in the run-up to the European Championships.

As reported by the German athletics portal "leichtathletik.de", the competition was shaped by tactical considerations. The athletes had to decide early in difficult conditions whether to throw for safety or for distance. Weißhaidinger chose the aggressive option in his third attempt, which however did not produce the desired effect.

Ceh secures first European Championship title

The European Championships in Birmingham are considered one of the most important benchmarks ahead of the upcoming international highlights. With a view to the World Athletics Championships, which will take place in one year, Weißhaidinger sees himself, by his own account, on a good path.

His coach Gregor Högler, who has been looking after the athlete for many years, had emphasized beforehand that the mere participation in the title fights was a success given the health history. The past training weeks had been used intensively in order to establish competitive readiness at all.

Looking ahead to the coming season

From the perspective of the Austrian Athletics Federation, the European Championship participation remains a positive signal. With the Olympic bronze medal from Rome in 2024 behind him, Weißhaidinger remains a fixture in Austrian top-level sport.

In international competition, the trend toward ever younger javelin and discus throwers continues. Kristjan Ceh, who won the competition, is among Europe's rising athletes. Mykolas Alekna, whose father Virgilijus Alekna once topped the world record list, confirmed his class with the silver medal.

For Weißhaidinger, the season continues after the European Championships with further competitions. The focus now lies on recovery and preparation for the upcoming international championships, where he intends to attack again.

The European Athletics Championships in Birmingham end on Sunday with the concluding relay and combined events decisions. The Alexander Stadium was already the venue of the 2022 Commonwealth Games and offers space for around 18,000 spectators.