The javelin throwing world received a resounding reminder that Julian Weber is never to be written off. In a dramatic climax at the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham, the German star uncorked a monstrous final-round throw of 90.40m to not only seize the gold medal but obliterate Steve Backley’s 28-year-old championship record of 89.72m.
For much of the evening, it looked as though history was repeating itself. Two years after being overtaken in the dying stages of a competition, Weber found himself playing second fiddle when 22-year-old compatriot Nick Thumm launched an 83.76m personal best in the fifth round.
Reflecting on his turbulent start, Weber admitted:
“I was struggling a lot at the beginning of the competition. I had a problem with my run-up. I wasn’t getting into my rhythm so I couldn’t throw far. I knew I just had to be calm, be ready and it would come.”
With the pressure mounting and memories of his silver medal in Rome lingering, Weber faced a defining moment of clutch execution – reminiscent of Ryan Crouser’s legendary championship-winning displays in the shot put. Standing at the head of the runway, he whipped the Birmingham crowd into a frenzy before unleashing a throw that instantly silenced the stadium.
“I shocked myself with that last throw. I couldn’t believe it,” Weber said. “I knew I could throw that far; I knew if I could push really hard into it, I could do that. It is such a great feeling to get my title back.”
As the scoreboard flashed a distance starting with nine, Weber became the first man in the history of the European Championships to cross the 90-meter barrier, issuing a definitive challenge to anyone who thought they could count him out.
Meanwhile, the battle for the remaining podium spots proved intensely dramatic, with a mere nine centimetres separating third through fifth place. Latvia’s Patriks Gailums secured the bronze with an 82.97m effort in the third round, delivering his country’s first medal at the championships since 2016.
A visibly overwhelmed Gailums shared: “I do not even know how to wear the flag. This was a big competition. I am still somewhere in the field; my head cannot believe this. Did I believe I could medal? Yes and no… Julian Weber has done a great job. He was challenged and it made him throw further.”
Poland’s Dawid Wegner suffered heartbreak, missing the podium by a single centimetre with an 82.96m season’s best, while reigning champion Jakub Vadlejch finished fifth with 82.88m.
With Nick Thumm completing a stunning German one-two in silver, Germany’s javelin dominance looks secured for years to come and with Weber performing at this calibre, the throwing world has been officially put on notice.