Mayr in 19th place. Thiam in the lead after two disciplines
Ivona Dadic worked her way up to twelfth intermediate place after two disciplines with a strong high jump performance with 2,050 points at the Olympic Games in Tokyo. World Cup third Verena Mayr ranks 19th out of 23 participants (1,969). Defending champion Nafissatou Thiam from Belgium is in the lead with 2,176, ahead of Erica Bougard (USA / 2,157) and Katarina Johnson-Thompson (GBR / 2,138). It continues with the shot put (12:05 p.m. CEST).
The Austrians started the first day a little cautious. In their pre-run over 100 m hurdles they couldn't get past the last two places in the scorching heat. Dadic finished seventh in 13.61 seconds, Verena Mayr eighth in 13.65 seconds. Both remained above their season bests.
However, Dadic then managed to set her personal best in the high jump with 1.83 m. “I jumped in sensationally. That gave me self-confidence. It was all in the first attempt, then a competition just builds up. That just automatically results in good performances. The 1.86 were a real shame, but that is whining on a high level Level.”
The hurdles was not the best run, but it was a good start to the all-around competition. “I felt good. I was doing pretty well up to the fifth or sixth hurdle. Then I couldn't run anymore, that's just the way it is.” She only thought of the 2019 World Cup in Doha and the “horror competition” in advance. At that time, the Upper Austrian suffered a strain in her left thigh in the hurdles sprint and had to give up. “I was able to hide that very well.”
In the very disappointed Mayr, 1.77 m was included in the high jump. “I jumped in brilliantly, but then didn't make it. It's a shame and annoying. The emotions are there, but by the afternoon it will be forgotten again, and there will be attacks again.”
The warm-up in the morning felt very good. The hurdles sprint did not go optimally. “I put myself behind in the middle, I got my opponent's hand on it twice, that also got me a bit out of it. It wasn't a catastrophe, it wasn't great, but a good performance.”
