31 AUG 2014 REPORT BERLIN, GERMANY

WLODARCZYK BREAKS HAMMER WORLD RECORD IN BERLIN – IAAF WORLD CHALLENGE

THE ISTAF BERLIN MEETING, PART OF THE 2014 IAAF WORLD CHALLENGE, PROMISED BIG THROWS, AND IT DELIVERED. UNFORTUNATELY, FOR THE HOME CROWD, THE BEST THROW OF THE DAY SAW POLAND’S ANITA WLODARCZYK DEPRIVE LOCAL STAR BETTY HEIDLER OF HER HAMMER WORLD RECORD* WITH A HUGE EFFORT OF 79.58M ON SUNDAY (31).THE EUROPEAN CHAMPION, WHO IN 2009 HAD SET A PREVIOUS WORLD RECORD OF 77.96M AT THE IAAF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS WHICH WERE ALSO HELD IN BERLIN’S FAMOUS OLYMPIC STADIUM, LED FROM THE OUTSET.SHE OPENED HER SERIES WITH 75.29M BEFORE UNLEASHING HER WORLD RECORD THROW IN THE SECOND ROUND, ADDING 16 CENTIMETRES TO THE MARK SET BY GERMANY'S BETTY HEIDLER IN 2011.WLODARCZYK CONTINUED TO THREATEN THE 80-METRE LINE WITH HER REMAINING ATTEMPTS, THROWING 78.46M, 79.04M, 78.64M AND 77.94M TO PUT TOGETHER THE GREATEST SERIES OF ALL TIME.ANY ONE OF HER ATTEMPTS WOULD HAVE BEEN ENOUGH TO WIN, AS HEIDLER FINISHED SECOND WITH 75.20M. THE CONTEST WAS ALSO PART OF THE 2014 IAAF HAMMER THROW CHALLENGE.“IT FEELS GREAT TO THROW A WORLD RECORD. A HAMMER THROWER GETTING A STANDING OVATION, THAT’S CRAZY,” LAUGHED WLODARCZYK AFTER DESERVEDLY TAKING THE PLAUDITS FROM THE 50,000 CROWD. “I WOULD HAVE LIKED TO THROW 80 METRES, I HAD IT TARGETED TODAY AND I HAD A GOOD FEELING BEFOREHAND. I KNOW I AM CAPABLE OF IT."