media_artricles :: 2013

Walcott vs Thorkildsen in Doha

Olympic champion Keshorn Walcott renews his rivalry with his predecessor, Norway’s Andreas Thorkildsen at the Doha Diamond League meet, in Qatar, today.

Thorkildsen won back-to-back Olympic men’s javelin titles in 2004 and 2008, but was dethroned by Walcott at the London Games, last year, the Trinidad and Tobago field athlete becoming only the second non-European champion in the event.

Walcott opened his 2013 campaign at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain, last Friday, at the inaugural TnT Elite Twilight Games, the 20-year-old thrower landing the spear 84.39 metres—a mere 19 centimetres shy of the 84.58m national record he had produced in grabbing Olympic gold.

“I wanted to know where I’m at before I go out to the competitions,” Walcott told the Express, following his impressive opener. “So tonight was good, knowing that I stand at a good distance. I’m grateful for this start.”

Walcott is fifth on the 2013 world performance list with his 84.39m effort. In addition to Thorkildsen, he will do battle in Doha with Finland’s world leader Tero Pitkamaki (86.40m), number seven Valeriy Iordan (83.56m) of Russia, Germany’s reigning world champion Matthias De Zordo, Czech Republic’s 2012 European champion Vitezslav Vesely, and Latvia’s Vadims Vasilevskis.

Thorkildsen, Pitkamaki and Vasilevskis are all 90-metre throwers. Walcott hopes to eventually reach that landmark, and is planning to get there in increments.

“I’m looking for 86/87 (in 2013). I’m still young. That would be a great distance for me, if I achieve that.”

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