Jan Zelezny in action (© Getty Images)
Triple Olympic and World champion and World record holder Jan Zelezny will not go for his record 9th World Championships appearance in a row. The legendary javelin thrower announced today that he will not compete at the 10th IAAF World Championships in Athletics, helsinki, Finland (6-14 Aug).
“My doctors advised me not to compete because of there being no good possibility of resting between the qualification round and the finals. My Achilles on which I had surgery in the spring is responding well, but it would be too much for it,” said Zelezny. “There is too much risk involved and I still do not want to finish my career."
"It was not a easy decision, I consulted with many people around. For me the World Championships are very high on the agenda, only the Olympic Games are maybe higher. I would love to compete, but this time I need to listen to my body and be wise. If anything would happen my whole career would be in danger. And I do not want to end on such a note.”
“There are three favourites for the Javelin event – Pitkämäki, Thorkildsen and Makarov. For Finland to have a winner in men’s Javelin would be the best which they could achieve. I would wish that for the Finnish people.”
“But Thorkildsen could also win and Makarov who is my very good friend is also capable for long throws. It will be an very interesting competition.”
Zelezny has competed so far only twice this season, winning on July 17 in Thessaloniki with 83.43, and then was 5th at the recent Bislett Games in Oslo with 82.70.
Zelezny’s World Championships record:
Rome 1987 – 3rd 82.20
Tokyo 1991 – qual 76.26
Stuttgart 1993 – 1st 85.98
Gothenburg 1995 – 1st 89.58
Athens 1997 – 9th 82.04
Seville 1999 – 3rd 87.67
Edmonton 2001 – 1st 92.80
Paris 2003 – 4th 84.09
Alfons Juck for the IAAF
