The inclement conditions in Gotzis might have derailed Ivona Dadic’s ambitions of achieving a high score but the European and world indoor medallist came away with a world leading mark in the heptathlon at the Austrian Combined Events Championships on Sunday (30).
Dadic became the first combined eventer to surpass the 6400 point-barrier this season, achieving a score of 6419 points across the two days despite the incessant rain and the temperatures remaining resolutely below 15C for the duration of the heptathlon.
Dadic was on pace to challenge Alina Shukh’s world lead of 6386 points after achieving a strong first day score of 3787 points. The rain continued unabated on day two but Dadic produced an impressive third round effort of 6.25m in the long jump before adding significant points to her overall total with 47.93m in the javelin to put the world lead clearly into view.
A 2:10.67 performer at her very best, Dadic concluded her competition with a solo 2:15.57 display in the 800m to take her total up to a world lead of 6419 points. Her score was the third highest of her career thus far, surpassed only by her lifetime best of 6552 points from the 2018 European Championships and her total of 6461 points from Ratingen last summer. In better conditions Dadic opined her score would have been worth something in excess of the 6600 points mark.
“To deliver such a performance under these conditions, I'm really proud of myself. I was really cold today in between events - that is no comparison to the other competitions where I scored about as many or more points. Back then, those were great conditions - and I had world class competition,” she told local reporters.
With Sarah Lagger and Verena Preiner both absent due to illness and injury respectively, Dadic didn’t face any tangible opposition in Gotzis but the Austrian will be thoroughly tested when she goes head-to-head against world champion Katarina Johnson-Thompson in the 100m hurdles and high jump in the Brussels Diamond League next Friday.