Almost exactly a year to the day after he had set his national record of 69.04m in Eisenstadt, Lukas Weisshaidinger improved this mark in the same throwing circle at the Raiffeisen Austrian Open on Thursday (2) evening, a World Athletics Continental Tour Bronze meeting.
The Olympic bronze medallist improved this record to 69.11m with his second attempt. He achieved an excellent series which also included a first round throw of 67.49m and a fifth round throw of 67.93m to win by more than seven metres from Hungary’s Robert Szikszai (61.77m) and Germany's 2016 Olympic champion Christoph Harting (59.72m).
Weisshaidinger's performance was outstanding, especially as the competition took place in still conditions. "That was the best throw of my life. I like this facility in Eisenstadt. The record is brilliant, I am very, very happy. I would like to thank the fans who cheered me!
"I want to continue to stabilise this performance and hope also to be able to fight for a victory at the Diamond League meeting,” said Weisshaidinger who takes on Olympic champion Daniel Stahl in the Rabat Diamond League on Sunday.
The men’s and women’s javelin competitions provided two of the other highlights in Eisenstadt. In the men’s javelin, European silver medallist Andreas Hofmann opened the meeting with a great 87.32m to consolidate his position of fourth on the 2022 world list.
On the comeback trail from surgery with the Munich 2022 European Athletics Championships his foremost goal, Hoffman said: "I am very happy. I was still sick last week, I still lacked a bit of feeling. This is a great meeting. The crowd pushed me forward."
Reigning European champion Christin Hussong provided the second-half of a German double in the javelin with victory with 64.87m on her third attempt. "It was a very nice competition and a good meeting. I would like to come back next year," she said.
Beside Weisshaidinger, other Austrians produced great victories. First and foremost sprinter Markus Fuchs won the 100m in 10.27 in still conditions after a 10.26 clocking in the heat.
After his sensational 10.17 in St. Pölten, these 10.26 and 10.27 were his next two best times of his career and puts the long-standing national record of 10.15 firmly into view.
"I am happy, the conditions were not ideal for us sprinters, because of the many false starts in the heats and in the final I had to do eight starts at this meeting," he said.
Full results here.