As far as big Burger Lambrechts is concerned, his young challenger Janus Robberts is good for an Olympic medal when the shot put heralds an historic moment on August 18.
That is the day when the classical field event returns to its original site at the Ancient Olympia Stadium for the first time since 393AD.
The site is sacred to the shot-put athletes who will stand on the spot where the first athlete heaved a heavy ball in Olympic competition in 776BC. The Ancient Olympia Stadium hosted the Olympic Games from then to 393AD.
”It’s going to be an incredible day for both of us,” said Lambrechts. ”I heard that the shot-put competitors are being flown to the ancient site in Ilia, which is about 270km from Athens. The organisers have made the competition ring out of a special wooden surface.
”It’s going to be amazing — I hope to make the final, but I really think that Janus is building up to a medal performance.”
Lambrechts is 31 and senior to Robberts, who is on scholarship at university in Texas, by six years. The big Pretorian has always dominated in the South African throwing ring, but now it is a different story as the young lion has taken over South Africa’s shot-put turf — as he showed by claiming the African Athletics Championships title in Brazzaville last month.
Robberts’s potential began to show with record throws on the American university circuit earlier this year followed by a 20,93m winning distance that indicated big things to come at the Citta di Padova international meeting in Italy in early July.
”Janus was messing around and still throwing way beyond 20m in training at the Nocsa [National Olympic Committee of South Africa] training camp in Pretoria,” said Lambrechts. ”And if he is still to peak in Olympic competition — it certainly looks that way to me — then he will make history by winning a medal for South Africa at the ancient site.”
”I’m just focusing on keeping a low profile and doing the best I can, but man, I’m really excited about throwing at the ancient site,” said Robberts who goes into competition with a qualifying best of 21,24m. Lambrechts enters at 20,04m.
The Olympic shot-put athletes will throw a qualifying round each on the morning of August 18, then compete in the finals in the evening.
A capacity crowd of 15 000 is expected at the Ancient Olympia Stadium, which is built in a U-shape. The medals will be awarded on August 20 at the Olympic Stadium in Athens.
This will also be the first time in history that women will compete at the Ancient Olympia Stadium. To preserve the sight, no permanent alterations were made to it or even fabricated structures added. The only additions are the temporary throwing circles.
Meanwhile, South Africa’s athletes eased into their training with the emphasis on getting used to the heat and muggy conditions in Athens. The South African Olympic team was expecting heat in the high thirties and extreme humidity, but the athletes were pleasantly surprised that conditions are milder than expected, in the lower thirties. — Sapa