Newly crowned European Javelin champion Linda Stahl of Germany.

It is the day after the day after the night before and Linda Stahl is coming to terms with the enormity of what she achieved in the Olympic Stadium on Wednesday night.

The genial 24-year-old German stunned her more experienced rivals by shattering her personal best with 66.81m to land the European title and produce one of the biggest shocks of the championships. 

Yet the burning question is did Stahl, the European No.9 prior to Barcelona with a season’s best of 62.65m, expect to win?

“Before the competition when I looked at the start lists I thought I could finish four or five, maybe I dreamt of a bronze medal,” admitted Stahl with refreshing honesty in an exclusive interview with European Athletics. “At the moment I feel very excited. It is a nice feeling. My winning throw actually felt like it was a 64m throw, so I think it must have caught the wind,” she added modestly.

Stahl had picked her moment well. Under leaden skies the length of her throw certainly surprised her key rivals, fellow German Christina Obergfoll and Barbora Spotakova, not to mention many onlookers, but she was not taking victory for granted.

“I knew the athletes would be under big pressure, but I also knew that although Spotakova had an elbow problem, Christina (Obergfoll) is capable of a big throw,” she explained. “In fact I was very afraid Katharina (Molitor, her training partner) could throw 66m because I have seen her strength and quality every day.”

On this occasion, though, the field could not respond and it was Stahl’s time to celebrate. Yet this was no fluke success for the Steinheim-born athlete, who has matured and finally blossomed under the intelligent coaching of Helge Zollkau, former coach to the now retired world champion Steff Nerius.

Raised in Blomberg in the North Rhine-Westphalia province, Stahl was physically gifted from a young age and quickly developed a passion for sport. Besides athletics she played handball and tennis and was ranked in the top-20 in her age group for the latter sport.

But by her mid to late teens she decided to concentrate on athletics and explained: “I’m not really a team person. I don’t fit into a team. I prefer it if I lose it’s my fault and if I win it is down to me.”

Another key moment in her career development came in 2003 when Zollkau, who was keen to add more throwers to Nerius’ training, saw the potential in Stahl.

She accepted his request and the following year Stahl won the German junior title and has steadily progressed through the ranks in the intervening years. In 2007 she landed the European Under-23 title and finished eight at the world championships in Osaka. The following year she further hinted at her potential, throwing a personal best of 66.06m in Leverkusen, but was overlooked for Beijing because it was after the Olympic deadline.

Last season her progression continued as she finished sixth at the World Championships in Berlin behind her ex-training partner, Nerius, a figure Stahl regards as inspirational.

“At first it was my dream to be as good as her and be as successful as her,” she added. “But what became clear over time is that there were some things I would be as good as Steffi at, and I became more confident. I still see her everyday because she shares an office with my coach. She now works for the German federation, and she was one of the first people to interview me after the competition. She said she was very proud of my achievements.”

But Nerius is only one small part in Stahl rise to prominence and Zollkau should take his share of the credit. One of the world’s most respected javelin coaches. He has helped mastermind her success, but what are his qualities?

“He’s a very good motivator and he always keeps us very relaxed,” she said. “We are very nervous before a competition and he helps us to relax with a cup of coffee.”

For the future, though, it will be Stahl along with training partner Molitor who are expected to maintain the strong German tradition in the women’s javelin.

She next plans to compete in Sondershausen next Wednesday and also intends to compete in the Diamond League meetings in London and Zurich. Her victory in Barcelona also secures her spot in the Europe team for the IAAF Continental Cup in Split.

Yet when asked what her aims are for the rest of the year, a relaxed Stahl answered: “I just want to have fun now.”

A state of mind she has thoroughly earned after her success in Barcelona.