The Upper Austrian landed in fifth place at the Stade de France on Wednesday with a height of 67.54m. 70.00m, beating the world record holder Mykolas Alegna (69.97) from Lithuania and Matthew Denny (69.31) from Australia. Jamaica’s Roger Stonea held the Olympic record for the run. ÖOC is still waiting for a second medal at these Games.
The stadium audience couldn’t help but wonder. Alegna opened with 68.55m, but Weiheidinger’s 60.02 didn’t make the desired first attempt. In the second round, European champion Kristian Cheh clocked 68.41, Denny clocked 69.31 and Alegna clocked 69.97. Weiheidinger brought up the rear and tentatively moved into fourth place with a 67.54.
It all worked out for Stona in the fourth attempt
Things weren’t going to go any further for the European vice-champion and Tokyo third-place finisher that evening. However, Stona threw the device away in the fourth round to clinch the final victory. European champion Čeh was only fourth, Tokyo Olympic champion and Budapest world champion Daniel Staal was Sweden’s seventh.
