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Women’s Discus final: Pishchalnikova pinches gold
10.08.2006
Youth trumped experience in the women’s discus final tonight when 21-year-old Darya Pishchalnikova, of Russia, denied Franka Dietzsch her second European title.
Dietzsch, the 38-year-old double world champion, was competing in her fourth European Athletics Championships a full 25 years after she first took up the discipline. But even with all that experience behind her, the blonde-haired German had no answer when Pishchalnikova unleashed a fourth-round effort to 65.55m, smashing her personal best by more than a metre.
The young Russian had only qualiified for the final in 11th place and almost went out of the final after at the halfway stage until she found a third round throw of 60.81m to keep her in the competition.
But, with her parents in the stand, Pishchalnikova found some inspiration and brought Russia gold in the women’s discus for the first time.
“I want to thank to my parents because they are also my coaches,” she said. “These were tough days for me here in Göteborg. In qualification I needed to do lot of work and in the finals I saved myself with the third throw.
“But then my parents told me, ‘Let´s go throwing’, and I did it. I shouted as I threw it because I had the feeling it will be a good throw.”
Dietzsch, who won the European title eight years ago, had to be satisfied with silver. She had taken the lead with her first throw of 63.88m, and was leading at the halfway stage from Romania’s Nicoleta Grasu and Wioletta Potepa, of Poland.
The third round brought disappointment for the crowd as Anna Söderberg bowed out with a best of only 59.60m. The 2003 world champion Iryna Yatchenko, of Belarus, also left the arena at this stage having followed her first effort of 59.65m with two fouls.
Then it all changed when Pishchalnikova produced her big effort in the fourth round. Her red hair pushed back from her head with a pink headband, the Russia took advantage of a rare lull in the arena to whip the discus out beyond the 65-metre line.
It landed at 65.55m and meant Dietzsch would have to summon up all her experience. After three mediocre rounds, at last there seemed to be fight going on. But, in truth, that was it.
Dietzsch, last to throw, tried her best to improve. Her fourth was short of her best, at 62.58m, but in the fifth she did get better – reaching 64.36m. Better, but no gold. Grasu’s first round throw of 63.58m held up for bronze.
“The first throw was a security throw,” said Dietzsch. “After that I wanted to kick it off and I couldn’t.
“Everybody predicted that I was going to be the gold medallist. But I would not say that I lost the gold medal, no, not at all – I won the silver. The only thing I am not satisfied with is my poor result.”
Dietzsch admitted she had been disturbed by the numerous medal ceremonies that had interrupted the competition. Not surprisingly, Pishchalnikova had no complaints.
By Matthew Brown
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