couple of runners rotate their rounds on the track and field facility Sihlhölzli. Géraldine Ruckstuhl has Packed their belongings, the bag is shouldered, and is accompanied by two much older men in the direction of the Parking lot. Day three of a special week of training is over, the special termination follows, but still: Not one of the coaches gets behind the wheel and also driven the athlete from Zurich, it is the 21-year-old from Lucerne-from Altbüron yourself that offers their caregivers a lift.

It is an image with symbolic content: Ruckstuhl, the Swiss record holder in the heptathlon, is preceded by self-aware, she knows her way, and she goes to him with some Pride. Because in the car is not sitting anybody, but those luminary from England, javelin coach Terry McHugh specially for you in Switzerland has piloted. Since Ruckstuhl and your youth coach parted in the autumn, McHugh taken on the responsibility for the complex planning of your training. The former Irish Olympic participant is employed by Swiss Athletics as a javelin coach.

Unimpressed and quiet

Ruckstuhl more fighters is one of the most talented in the world – in the Ranking by 2018, the number 1 in the U-23 category, the number 9 in the Elite, and in the javelin the Best, if account is taken of the ten farthest throws. One and a half years ago, when she took as a Teenager at their first world Cup, “the Great” part, let them be in London, not impressed by the immense crowd and was Eleventh. At the European Championships last year in Berlin as the Ninth of the same.

starting direction of the highway and the Uetliberg: Géraldine Ruckstuhl at the spear-Training in the Sihlhölzli. Photo: Fabienne Andreoli

Always amazed Ruckstuhl your usually more practiced opponents with your peace, which is the basis of the services. That was two years ago in Götzis, the Mecca of more fighters, as it has not yet been achieved once in 20-year-old with 6291 points Swiss record and the Twelfth. Around them, the performance was relatively best heptathlon ever, in the hallway, three athletes reached more than 6800 points. For the Swiss, it was only one: the best object lesson.

And now the new Situation: The time required for Training the capacities of Rolf exceeded Bättig, Ruckstuhl had led, in addition to his Job at this stage. Thanks to the experience in the top sport-RS is a whole staff, in addition to McHugh also Adrian Rothenbühler, a more combat-specialist, and Raphael Monachon, the former hurdles Sprinter, belonging to a single Trainer. Ruckstuhl has trained in the Winter, mainly in Magglingen, she says: “The has many advantages, masseurs, physiotherapists, Doctors – everything is there.”

“You have to keep this in mind: Géraldine has age and potential for three Olympic games.”Toni Minichiello,
British more combat-specialist and BBC-expert.

Also this special week of training has begun in Magglingen. Ruckstuhl will continue to make progress, therefore, McHugh has brought support, international support. He says openly: “I don’t verrenne me with my ideas, I need advice from outside.” Came Toni Minichiello, a charismatic Englishman with Italian roots. In Sheffield, he has formed a 13-year-old girl many years Dominatorin in the heptathlon – Jessica Ennis, Olympic champion 2012, silver winner in 2016, and three-times world champion. He says with a broad Grin: “I knew you already as a 9-Year-old. When she was 13, we started to train. And now she has a title of nobility, and here I am still on the course.”

6’600 points for the podium

Ruckstuhl he noticed for the first time in 2017 in Götzis, as she hurled the spear over 58 meters, “was enormous”. Him like her attitude, the “mentality” that you wanted to learn how to wool make it better. “You have to keep this in mind: she has the age and potential for three Olympic games.” More Hugh and the athlete about the clever planning of the competition, the division of the forces wanted to know about his experiences in General, and, of course, about Technical and to deepen where the Training is.

Ruckstuhl has other talents than Ennis, who resigned in 2016, and today the mother of two children. The British had a lot of Speed and jumping power, while the Swiss are brilliant, especially in the throws. Minichiello told, to talk without point and comma, makes jokes, describes how to work with Ennis and the relationship last as a “love-hate”. I need to do? Yes, you have to!

The weakness is identified in Ruckstuhl soon: it Is faster, it is better and brings more points.

The weakness he has identified with a jerk of the chair quickly, and it is not that your Swiss trainer trio would have never knew about it. She’s now been named by the profound connoisseurs. “If you improved the speed just a bit, makes them equal in the long jump, the hurdles and the 200 metres at the progress,” says Minichiello. And adore it. A 21-Year-old, whose record of 391 points, is already 6′ – “a little faster still, and is at 6’600 points. That’s enough at all international Championships for the podium.”

McHugh know, but adds laconically: “If the athlete without injury. My Credo is, “Success is a journey, not a destination”.” Successful is a journey and not the destination. Then disappear into the night.

(editing Tamedia)

Created: 26.03.2019, 23:02 PM