3) Julius Yego vs Ihab Abdelrahman

Who’s got the farthest throw to wow spectators with their spears this year? These two African Javelin throwers, Julius Yego and Ihab Abdelrahman could have the answer.

At the 2015 World Championships in Beijing, it was a 1-2 finish by Yego and Abdelrahman respectively, but it was the distance they won medals which got people talking. Yego’s astonishing 92.72m mark won him GOLD, deserving every accolade, but how about Abdelrahman’s 88.99m Silver mark? In fact it was the 6th best throw in the world in 2015.

2015 World Championships, Rio 2016, 2016 AAC
Julius Yego just before his monstrous throw at the 2015 Worlds

It is okay to be talking about Yego, however he knows what a massive threat he has in Abdelrahman who has a PB of 89.21m, an African record then, before Yego went on to set two more. The Egyptian then won GOLD at the 2015 African Games without much fuss, this time with a throw of 85.37m.

 

 

Rio 2016, African Athletics Champinship
Battle of the big hitters! Could Abdelrahman get the better of Yego this year? Photo Credit: Making of champions/ PaV media

Yego is the first Kenyan to win GOLD in a field event at the Worlds, setting the world alight with big throws. He had at the Birmingham Diamond League thrown 91.39m sounding notice of his skill, and was more importantly building up his consistency.

Abdelrahman is still shaky somehow. Most times, he gets just two marks approved out of six throws, but be sure that those two would be very good throws, enough to land a podium placement.

Last year wasn’t the first time both throwers crossed paths. At the 2014 AAC, the first two spots were claimed by them, with Yego’s winning mark of 84.72m, followed by Abdelrahman at 83.59m to claim Silver.

There’s to come and the rivalry could take another dimension, who knows maybe Abdelrahman might finally get one over Yego, although he could require a mark past 90m.

 

Julius Yego, 2015 World Championships
Yego and Abdelrahman doing the lap of honour at the 2015 World Championships. Photo Credit: Making of Champions/ PaV media
1
2
3
4
5
6
SHARE
Athletics coverage was a discovery, having to move away from regularly writing about Football. Although it was initially daunting, but now being an authority in it makes the past effort worthwhile. From travelling on the same international flight with Nigerian athletes, to knowing you could easily interview: World Record holder Tobi Amusan, then Ese Brume, I have cut my teeth in this beat earning the trust of Athletics sources. Formerly the Content Manager-Sports at Ringier media Nigeria, Chris is a Senior Sports writer, Photographer & Community manager at Making of Champions.

1 COMMENT

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here