Et were pictures that hurt to watch: Niklas Kaul, writhing in pain and disappointment, lying on the track of the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo and shortly afterwards, his face buried in his hands, was pushed out of the arena in a wheelchair. The big dream of an Olympic medal for the decathlon world champion broke early on his debut in August.
After four disciplines in which he was “better than ever” due to two best performances, the 23-year-old USC Mainz athlete had to give up due to an ankle injury during the 400-meter run. The man from Saulheim suspected that the damaged foot would no longer be able to withstand the strain. On his last attempt at high jump, in which he overcame the 2.11 meter high bar for the first time, he had suffered a severe compression in his ankle. “The way back to the break room was the worst,” says Kaul. To know that it can’t go on, but not wanting to admit it, that broke something in him.
Full risk when jumping
The athlete has now returned to training. “I first waited five weeks in order not to procrastinate,” he explains. The relief was great when it turned out that nothing was broken or torn. Nevertheless, Kaul does not want to dare to jump again until the middle of the month. Again and again he played through this fatal jump in his head. 30, 40 repetitions came together. He doesn’t regret taking the risk of taking off. In such a big competition you have to give everything. “I would have tackled the 2.14 meters” if he had had the opportunity.
With the aim of the new best performance in mind, he started a little faster than usual and got too close to the system. As a result, he did not put his foot straight, but crooked, with a strong rotation in the ankle, to make an impression on the floor – a technique that he had previously practiced intensively to avoid, but which he relapsed into at that moment. The better alternative is to be further stabilized in the future. “Of course there is a residual risk,” says Kaul. But he had to ignore the inhibiting thought.
Aborted the last test before Tokyo
His confidence is fueled that “I was so unlucky this year” that it shouldn’t happen again. Throughout the season, the young man with a picture-book career, in which everything had apparently always worked out optimally, hadn’t really gotten going. Kaul, who is being looked after by his parents Michael and Stefanie, returned to the competition stage in May after a 19-month break from competition and an elbow operation last year.
Neither at the cult meeting in Götzis nor at the final Olympic qualification in Ratingen, he should be able to confirm his good feeling from training. He broke off one last test shortly before departure for Tokyo in Frankfurt, in which he missed the first discipline due to a delay. In Japan the knot burst; The prematurely braked person should not enjoy it for long.
Goals are there
In the coming season, the multiple junior world and European champion wants to attack again. Two major events are on the agenda in quick succession. Defending his crown at the World Cup in the American city of Eugene in July is what the youngest winner in history is committed to. But the German does not want to do without the European championships, which are on the calendar just a month later in Munich. “I already experienced a European Championship at home in Berlin in 2018,” says the fourth-placed successor. That was outstanding.
Which way should lead to the two highlights was not decided last week. In the coming days the family will sit down and plan the preparation. The sports and physics student definitely wants to continue his teaching degree at the same time. “I have to do something on the side,” says Kaul. “Otherwise the sport won’t work for me.”
New stimuli also loosen up the daily practice. For a few weeks now, the training group has been bouldering once a week in the climbing hall. “It’s fun and a very good whole-body workout,” explains Kaul. Especially shoulders, forearms and hands would be strengthened.
Kaul did not want to provide any information about whether he did better in the internal comparisons on the unfamiliar terrain than his all-around colleague, the European Championship third Carolin Schäfer. “If I tell the truth, I might feel it for days in training,” he said with a mischievous smile. But neither of the really big talents is in the wall.
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