Yego stutters as Germany's Vetter wins world javelin

Germany's Johannes Vetter competes in the final of the men's javelin throw at the 2017 IAAF World Championships at the London Stadium in London on August 12, 2017. PHOTO | ANDREJ ISAKOVIC |

What you need to know:

  • Vetter threw a best of 89.89 metres, with Czech Jakub Vadlejch taking silver with 89.73m.
  • Another Czech, Petr Frydrych claimed bronze (88.32).

IN LONDON

Germany's Johannes Vetter won the men's javelin throw at the IAAF World Championships on Saturday.

Vetter threw a best of 89.89 metres, with Czech Jakub Vadlejch taking silver with 89.73m.

Another Czech, Petr Frydrych claimed bronze (88.32).

Kenya’s Julius Yego rued groin and ankle injuries as he relinquished his World Javelin title to Vetter whose first attempt of 89.89 metres proved enough to crush the rich field at the London Stadium.

Yego failed to score in his first attempt but returned 76.29 and 75.31 to finish last in the final that featured 13 athletes.

“I felt some piercing pain in the groin on my right leg after the first attempt. I tried to get some good momentum in the second and third attempts but I just couldn’t,” said Yego. “I was fine when I came to London with just some slight ankle injury that I was managing well.”

Yego said that the groin pain first occurred during the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games where he won gold before it recurred at the Rio Olympics where he claimed silver. Yego bowed out just after his second throw with the groin injury with his first attempt of 88.24m enough to give him silver.

“I had some slight pain during the trials but it subsided. It reappeared after my first attempt,” Yego explained. “Everything was well during the qualification.”

Additional reporting by AFP