Germany’s Max Dehning smashed his lifetime best by more than 10 metres and broke one of the longest standing European U23 records in the process at the German Winter Throwing Championships in Halle on Sunday (25) afternoon.
The 19-year-old has been considered one of Germany’s most promising throwers by virtue of medal-winning performances at the World and European Athletics U20 Championships in 2022 and 2023 respectively but Dehning was still yet to achieve a throw beyond 80 metres.
But not only did Dehning break the 80 metre-barrier today, he also surpassed the 90 metre-line with his first throw of the competition, and also his first competitive throw of 2024, taking his lifetime best from 79.13m to an early season world lead of 90.20m. This also broke Steve Backley’s long-standing European U23 record of 89.58m - a world record at the time - which dates back to 1990.
"I was sick last week and couldn't train properly. I really wanted to take part in the competition here, but the fact that it turned out so far surprised me too," said Dehning, who won silver at the European Athletics U20 Championships last August.
Dehning only produced one more valid throw in the competition, registering a mark of 85.45m on his second attempt which would have also handsomely surpassed his now-obliterated previous lifetime best.
Dehning also becomes the 18th European thrower to break the 90 metre-line with the current specification javelin as well as the youngest thrower in history to achieve the relatively uncommon feat of a 90 metre-plus throw.