– There is probably someone who will think that it is unfair. But when I’m invited, I have to take the opportunity, says Rooth to news. He is talking about the news that became known on Wednesday. The Olympic decathlon champion participates in the distance competition in the Diamond League vote on September 5. – Actually, I thought I would never get the opportunity as a multi-combatant, says Rooth. He has actually never before been part of a Diamond League event, where it is contested in individual exercises. DEBUT: Markus Rooth is already an Olympic champion, but only now is he making his debut in the Diamond League. Photo: Anders Skjerdingstad / news The organisers: – A coup It means that he will meet several of the best specialists in the world in length. Rooth has a personal record of 8.01 metres, set during the summer EC in Rome. With that, he is no higher than number 65 in the world at the training in 2024. That is why he reckons that supposedly better athletes may not be completely satisfied that the recent Norwegian Olympic winner has been invited. The Diamond League is the highest-ranked event in athletics, after the Olympics and World Championships. There is still no formal qualification system. The organizers are free to invite athletes. And the organizers in Zurich, for their part, are very pleased that Roth will participate. On their website, they themselves write that it is a “real coup” for voting director Andreas Hediger. STRETCHES FAR: Markus Rooth has no weak points in the decathlon, but length is definitely one of his strongest points. Photo: Lise Åserud / NTB When news met Markus Rooth at the Eiffel Tower the day before he was due to return home from the Olympics in Paris, it was quite clear to him that the competition season was over. – I came home with a plan that the season was over, and that I should start basic training and have a bit of a quiet period. I ate a bit of what I wanted and had a good time, he says. A week later, participation in Zurich emerged as a possibility. – Then the season suddenly got a little longer, says Rooth. So he had to postpone the pizza party and come up with the diet plan for a few more weeks. Prep with shot put and discus As a tyke, Markus Rooth is primarily known as an athlete without weak exercises, rather than someone who is extremely good in individual exercises. But the 22-year-old from Oslo is strong in length, and travels to Switzerland with ambitions. – Now I don’t know what the starting list is like. But the goal is that I can maybe get six jumps, that I am among the top eight. So if there are twelve pieces that get to participate, then I have to beat four others, he says. With that, he also reveals how short he has come in his preparations. In the Diamond League, all athletes jump five jumps – before the top three get one last attempt. Rooth does not change the training either. When news met him in Rudhallen on Wednesday morning, it was first bullet noise that was on the programme. Fair enough followed by some spring dusting. – Now it has worked quite well to train in the decathlon in order to jump far in the long jump as well. I am one of four in Norway throughout all time who have jumped over eight metres. So we still kick the ball and throw the discus. But luckily I get to skip the 400 meter lactic acid training, as there isn’t that much lactic acid involved in the long jump, he smiles. You can watch the Diamond League competition in Zurich on September 5 on news. But already on Thursday 22 August, you can watch the Diamond League race from Lausanne, with Jakob Ingebrigtsen in action in the 1500 metres. Published 21.08.2024, at 15.55 Updated 21.08.2024, at 17.33
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Olympic hero Markus Rooth gets a unique opportunity – makes a complete turnaround – news Sport – Sports news, results and broadcast schedule
