Simon Ehammer will be mixing up the long jump specialists for the next couple of months. First stop: Rabat.
After his successes in the decathlon, Simon Emer will soon turn into a long jump. As Appenzler announced early on, he would first like to shine in his own specialty – with the World Championships in Eugene (USA) in July as the highlight. He has set a date for the next European Championship decathlon in August in Munich.
Right from first stop in Rabat, where he finished Sunday’s Diamond League meet for the first time since Weltklasse Zürich last year (from 8:00pm live on SRF info and in the sports app), the ambitious Appenzell native set himself the goals of the usual high standards. He has made it his mission to do nothing less than write the history of athletics for Switzerland.
Caption:
gaze rises
Simon Ehammer wants to establish himself as the world leader in the long jump.
Keystone / Jian Ehrnseller
Another milestone in the season of dreams?
“Of course, winning a Diamond League meeting would be great. I think I have the best qualifications to do it this weekend or in Oslo (On June 16, a note by Dr. editorEmer told SRF before leaving for the Moroccan capital on Friday. No Swiss athlete has ever achieved this feat.
It is no coincidence that the 22-year-old is quite self-confident. Last weekend, across the mecca of Götzis, Vorarlberg, he climbed to the top of the list of the world’s best in the long jump of the year. Against this backdrop, the fact that 8.45 meters meant a new Swiss record was just a side note. Ehammer improved his own mark from the meeting in Ratingen, Germany, by 15 cm.
Don’t be afraid of the big names – why should you?
As impressive as these numbers are, confirmation is now needed. But Emer does not allow himself to be under pressure. Not with competition, not with your own expectations.
In Rabat, the crème de la crème meets in the long jump. Greek Olympic champion Miltiadis Tintoglu will also be present, as will bronze medal winner Michael Massu (Cuba) and world champion Tagay Gayle (Jamaica). But no one came close to 8.45m for Emer this year. Tentoglou made it second at 8.36 m «Field course first-class. But for me, it’s just perfect preparation for the World Championships,” says Emer, who is aiming for 8.20-8.40m and wants to consistently establish himself in that range over the long term.
Aside from a dry cough, he had recovered from the cold he still had in Gotzis. But this does not affect him. “I’m in such good spirits that I can perform at 100 per cent.”
Journey on time
In addition to the athletic challenge, Ehammer also expects more media attention from participating in the prestigious Diamond League. Compared to the decathlon, the long jump is more like a sprint and therefore more attractive to TV stations. And the young star could not complain about the lack of recognition of his achievements in recent weeks. But a larger stage with a live presence in front of a wider audience naturally attracts patrons.
Emer left no doubt in the “Sports Panorama” three weeks ago that he wants the Decimal to remain for the long term. “For me, it’s nice to do the long jump so well. But the decathlon will always come first for me.” Letting go of supreme discipline in the World Championships is mainly based on one fact: Two decathlons in 3 weeks, Jetlag included, is a huge burden, especially since the tank is no longer full at the end of the season.
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