Shot putter struggles with himself: World record holder Kappel has “given away the gold medal”

Shot putter struggles with himself
World record holder Kappel has “given away the gold medal”

02.09.2024, 15:06

The gold he longed for is denied to him: shot putter Niko Kappel wins silver at the Paralympics. The Stuttgart native is extremely dissatisfied and is struggling with his competition. The 29-year-old is considering whether he really wants to celebrate or just “get frustrated”.

Shot put world record holder Niko Kappel missed out on his second gold medal at the Paralympic Summer Games. The world champion from Schwäbisch-Gmünd had to admit defeat to his Uzbek rival and Tokyo winner Bobirjon Omonow (14.32) with 13.74 meters in the final in Paris in the F41 category for short stature and had to settle for silver.

“Today I gave away the gold medal. I didn’t even get into the competition,” he said on ARD. “I just couldn’t cope today. I know that I was capable of much better.” He will decide spontaneously whether there will be a celebration for the silver medal in the evening or more of a “frustration drinking session.”

Kappel came to the Stade de France as the favorite after the athlete from VfB Stuttgart won the world championship title in the spring and then improved his own world record to 15.07 meters. In the French capital, Rio winner Kappel, who was cheered on by around 80 fans from home, failed to clear the 14-meter mark.

Training with the Olympic champion

Kappel seemed increasingly frustrated. Before his final walk into the ring, he again sought advice from his trainers, then disappeared from the ring for a few minutes “to get a bit of tension in his legs,” said Kappel. But it was no use. With silver, Kappel won the first German medal in athletics on the fourth day of the competition.

Omonow had already put Kappel under pressure with his second attempt. With his gold distance, the two-time world champion also improved his own Paralympic record by 26 centimeters. Kappel, who does weekly training with Olympic champion Yemisi Ogunleye, was unable to counter this. After gold in Rio and bronze in Tokyo, the 29-year-old completed his set of medals.

In the long jump final of the visually impaired T12 starting class, Andreas Walser achieved a season’s best despite back problems. However, the 6.73 meters in the fourth attempt was only enough for the former football player to finish sixth and last. He was 15 centimeters behind the medal places.

Wheelchair racing athlete Merle Menje narrowly missed the final over 1500 meters. The 20-year-old from Mainz finished sixth in her heat in 3:21.86 minutes. Only the best five athletes from the two heats made it to the final, with Menje just over a second behind.