Nadine Müller
For the first time ever, the European Athletics Championships will be held in the same year as the Olympic Games and it is almost inevitable that this summer there will be small group of very privileged and talented individuals who will strike gold at both events. German discus thrower Nadine Müller wants to be part of that elite ensemble.
Logic dictates that it will be very tough to stand on top of the podium in both Helsinki and London.
However, Müller showed that she has the class and credentials to achieve such a feat when she twice improved on her personal best and finished with an outstanding effort of 68.89m at the 2012 European Cup Winter Throwing in the Montenegrin town of Bar on 18 March.
It was the longest throw in the world for almost eight years.
The 2011 World Championships silver medallist was in stunning form throughout the competition in Bar as she opened with 66.34m, before setting her first personal best with 68.81m in the third round – adding more than a metre to her two-year-old previous best of 67.78m.
She then had two more throws over 67 metres before going out to 68.89m with the last throw of the competition.
“A personal best, I think it was a great performance but the weather was also fine for discus throwing, sunny and windy,” said Müller after the competition.
“It’s nice to win and it’s an important step towards the big competitions of the summer. I will do both the European Championships and Olympic Games.”
“Both competitions will be very tough. (Croatia’s 2010 European Athletics Championships gold medallist and European Rising Star of the Year) Sandra Perkovic can also throw 67 metres, Romania’s Nicoleta Grasu as well.
“Five or six ladies can throw over 65 metres, both in Europe and in the world, and they can also be in medal contention at the Europeans and Olympics.
“However, my targets are medals and golds this year. It’s great throwing long distances and setting personal records but medals are the most important thing.”
Müller’s feats in Bar didn’t come as a big surprise to the 26-year-old Leipzig native.
“I had been in a training camp in Portugal, I was throwing a lot there and sometimes I was throwing between 67 and 68 metres.
“Overall, my shape is still improving. Maybe this year and certainly within the next two years, I will throw 70 metres. That’s one of my dreams anyway and I hope it comes true.
The first dream though is a gold medal at the 2012 European Athletics Championships, making up for disappointing display in Barcelona two years ago when she was one of the favourites for a medal but only finished eighth.
Since then Müller has adjusted her mental approach to big competitions as shown in Daegu last summer.
With the women’s discus final coming on the second day of the athletics programme at the Olympics Games, if Müller succeeds in Helsinki then she even has a good chance becoming the very first athlete to win both European and Olympic titles in the same year.
The 2012 European Athletics Championships will be held in Helsinki, Finland, between 27 June – 1 July.
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