Otto, newest 19-footer

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Martinez puts 20.62 and Otto defeats Lobinger in Leipzig
Sunday 29 February 2004
Leipzig, Germany – This bidding city for the Olympics 2012, showed some of its potential in athletics. In front of a sell-out crowd of 3500 spectators today the inaugural LE Athletics Meeting was staged in the Arena Leipzig.

There were mixed fortunes for two World Indoor champions, Germany’s Tim Lobinger (Pole Vault) and Spain’s Manuel Martinez (Shot), who will be defending their titles next weekend in Budapest (5 - 7 March)

The Pole Vault was the centre of the interest with Björn Otto triumphing in a duel with Tim Lobinger, who had won the German championship just a week ago beating Otto with 5.75. This time it was not enough for the reigning World Indoor champion Lobinger, as Otto jumped to a new personal best of 5.81m.

Gibilisco ill - Brits no heights

It was not the day for South Africa’s World silver medallist Okkert Brits. He had been a late entry to the competition, as he was only signed by meeting director Joachim Krebs after World outdoor champion Giuseppe Gibilisco had to cancel a few days ago because of flu. Britts came to the meet with a season’s best of 5.75 having won his very first competition of the winter two days ago in Chemnitz but in Leipzig he had no valid jump at all. All his attempts at 5.60 metres failed.

Ecker back to 5.60

However, another big name in pole vaulting managed to jump 5.60 metres for the first time this season, Danny Ecker. After his comeback from a severe shoulder injury five weeks ago in Dessau, Ecker still used a shortened run-up in Leipzig but at the end of his indoor campaign it was finally enough for 5.60 which he cleared on his third attempt. It was what his coach Leszek Klima had predicted for him for this season.

It was Lobinger who almost looked like being the winner when he jumped 5.70m on his second attempt but Otto had passed this height after clearing 5.60 metres on his first try. That had been his second jump of the competition, he then failed twice at 5.76, before finally being successful on his third attack at the bar. Otto then took 5.81 on his first attempt.

Lobinger's frustration

That height was too much for Lobinger who failed three times at 5.81m, breaking the bar with frustration after his third.

“It was my goal to jump at least 5,80 metres before Budapest,â€Â