GERMANY: ATHLETICS - Germany's athletes Danny Ecker and Steffi Nerius warm up for World Athletics Championships in Osaka

The European javelin champion Steffi Nerius and the European indoor pole vault champion Danny Ecker do their final training in Germany before flying to Osaka for the World Athletics Championships. The number of athletes travelling from Germany to the World Championships in Osaka might have been reduced from 69 to just 60, but they are still full of optimism. "The last four weeks were quite good, said the European javelin champion Steffi Nerius during training in Leverkusen on Wednesday (August 15). "I am always glad when I get through the day without another injury and can concentrate on the injury I have, so that it gets better. And I managed to pull through the training quite well in the last three or four weeks, so I am quite confident about going to Osaka." The 36 year-old, who won silver in the 2005 World Championships, had suffered from a back injury which caused her to back out of the German Championships, is back in form and hopeful of improving her performance in this years championships in Japan. "I'd like to stay healthy for the next two weeks, and I'd like to throw a personal best. Seasonal best and personal best aren't that far apart maybe, but something like that, and then we'll see what that achieves. A medal would obviously be very nice, but if I throw a personal best and get fourth place, then there were just three people better than me, and I won't be able to change that," she said. Another German hopeful who will be sweating it out in Osaka is the European indoor pole vault champion Danny Ecker. Ecker has been among the top German athletes for years before winning the European Indoor title this year, now he is confident of being on the podium in Japan. "Obviously you always have expectations, I mean you train for a certain goal. And the season was so promising for me that I think I will have a chance of getting a medal. I've jumped 5.87, and so am placed fourth in the world ratings. And I think I can add a bit on top of that, so I am hoping to win a medal," said the 29 year-old athlete, who trains at the same club as Nerius. The German champion said he expects there to be doping cases among those competing in Japan, but hopes that Athletics won't suffer from scandals to the extent of the Tour de France. "I am presuming that there will be doping cases there as well, but it won't be comparable with the Tour de France this year, I don't think there was ever a sporting affair that could compare to the Tour de France and what has happened in cycling. It is obviously a lot of damage that they have caused, which has thrown a shadow over all sports," he said. Ecker is hoping to go on from the World Championships and qualify for the Olympics in Beijing next year, following in his mothers footsteps. Heidemarie Ecker-Rosendahl won the Olympic gold for Germany in the long jump in 1972.

ITN Source | August 16, 2007

Tags:. .improving. .form. .august. .pull. .jumped