Credit: IAAF

A 90-metre javelin throw at any stage of the season is noteworthy. But a 93.90m throw on a season’s debut suggests Thomas Rohler could be set for an incredible year.

The Olympic champion, competing in Doha at the opening IAAF Diamond League competition of the year, saw his early lead taken away from him in the third round as compatriot Johannes Vetter sent his spear out to a world-leading 89.68m.

But Vetter’s mark lasted only a few minutes at the top of the world list as Rohler responded in the next round with 93.90m.

The German moves second in the world all-time lists #DohaDL https://t.co/vSvwIe9Lo8

— IAAF (@iaaforg) May 5, 2017

As it flashed up on the scoreboard, so did various sets of initials to indicate that it was a world lead, a meeting record, an IAAF Diamond League record, and a national record. It also, perhaps more significantly, moves him to second on the world all-time list behind world record-holder Jan Zelezny.

The Czech legend owns five throws in excess of Rohler’s mark from Doha; the most recent one of those was more than 20 years ago.

It essentially marked the end of the competition as Rohler passed his remaining two attempts and Vetter couldn’t get within three metres of his own mark from round three. Jakub Vadlejch of the Czech Republic threw 87.91m, which at most other top-flight meetings would have been enough to win, but tonight it put him in third place.

“I did not see that coming, I did not expect that in the first start of the season,” said Rohler, whose previous best was 91.28m. “I’m second best, ever. It will take some days to realize that.

“It was an amazing competition for all of us,” he added. “We had a good training camp this year; it was early so we did a lot of fast training on the grass.”

Culled from IAAF