Agency Report –
Frankfurt – Olympic champion Yemisi Ogunleye does not feel any pressure in a new role as top favourite for women’s shot put gold at the European indoor athletics championships starting on Thursday in the Netherlands.
Ogunyele achieved her breakthrough last year when she first took silver at the world indoors in Glasgow and then Olympic gold at the Paris Games.
The 26-year-old has continued in this way and achieved a personal best 20.27 metres last month at the national championships in Dortmund. That makes her the top ranked European heading into the Apeldoorn championships.
“I can be confident that I’ve prepared very well,” Ogunleye said. “I can go to the European championships with this momentum.”
Ogunyele said she wants to keep the Dortmund level as well as “the calm and joy, and then I’m sure that I’ll also go far in Apeldoorn.”
Ogunyele’s success has given the shot put in Germany a boost again after the retirement of Christina Schwanitz and David Storl who enjoyed vast success in the previous decade.
Because of her, the shot put was added to the programme of the Dusseldorf and Berlin indoor meets which draw big crowds.
“I’m super grateful that shot put has a whole new status in Germany,” she said.
Germany is sending a team of 37 athletes to Apeldoorn. Other top gold candidates are long jumper Malaika Mihambo and triple jumper Max Hess. In addition, Majtie Kolberg could medal in the women’s 800m.
