Staying healthy and Olympic gold are Vetter’s goals for 2021, not the world record

World’s leading javelin thrower this year, Johannes Vetter, who came within a meter of the long-standing world record, considers staying healthy and winning gold in Tokyo as his prime goals for 2021. He said this in a World Athletics podcast on Wednesday.

Asked for his comments on the talks of breaking the 1996 world record, the German national record holder said: “My focus should not be on breaking the world record. The goal should be to get the gold at the Tokyo Olympics.”  

“In the javelin throw it is tough to build up such a high level that you can throw over 95 meters every week. May be it will not happen in the future. Maybe I will not throw over 97 or 98 in the future. It’s nothing you can plan. It is something that will happen or not happen. In my training I am trying to improve small things, specially in the technique. I will try to stay healthy. Future will tell how far I could go,” said Vetter who is the only thrower to clear the 90 meters mark this year, according to World Athletics statistics.

“Biggest goal is the gold medal in Tokyo and also to stabilize the 90 meter throws and to win as much competitions as I can. I think the highest goal should be to stay healthy,” said the former world champion who won the global title in 2017.

Vetter, was placed fourth at the 2016 Olympics where compatriot Thomas Röhler was the winner. Next year he came up with the World Championship gold but was placed third at the last World Championship in Doha.

After recovering from an injury Vetter was in fine form this year. Asked to comment on his massive throw of 97.76 meters (in September 2020), which is the second furthest throw of all time, Vetter had this to say.  “Competition was not easy at the beginning. The warm up throws were quite good. But the first two throws were not quite good. But the moment I released the third throw I was crying. I felt that I had thrown a huge throw. All emotions of this year and the last two years came together. It was strong and intense feeling. It was like that you could give something back to your family and to your mother and of course you give back something to yourself and for the whole society in such crazy times. For your sport and for your discipline.”

Johannes Vetter is one of the ten athletes named by World Athletics for this year’s World Athlete of the Year Award. (RF)