Germany's Johannes Vetter Throws Big in Switzerland

By Adam Kopet, DyeStat Editor

Johannes Vetter is one of several top-flight javelin throwers from Germany.

In 2016, he finished fourth at the Rio Olympics. After his performance in Lucerne, Switzerland, he now may be the favorite for the IAAF World Outdoor Championships in London.

Coming into the Spitzen Leichtathletik, Johannes ranked #2 in the world this year and was nowhere near the all-time list. That changed Tuesday as Vetter put together the best throws series since world record holder Jan Zelezny in 1997.

Vetter started out with a 297-2 (90.75m) throw, a personal best by more than three feet. That would have been good enough to win the competition. In the second round, he improved to 298-9 (91.06m).

The fireworks really started in the third round. Vetter launched the javelin out to 305-3 (93.06m). That moved him up to #4 on the world all-time list, but he still trailed German teammate and 2016 Olympic champion Thomas Rohler on the 2017 list. Rohler trailed in the competition.

In the fourth round, Vetter threw another personal best, his fourth of the competition, sending the javelin sailing out to 309-10 (94.44m). That places him #2 on the all-time list and gives him the world lead by almost two feet.

Vetter went on to throw 293-7 (89.50m), which also would have won the competition over Rohler, whose best was 293-5 (89.45m). Vetter fouled on his final attempt.

Vetter's fourth-round throw ranks #6 all-time and his third round throw ranks #9 all-time. He is the first athlete to throw over 90 meters at least four times in a competition in 20 years. No other athlete has done so more than twice in a series.

Meet Results