5,000 German fans bid farewell to retiring Jeff Hartwig

The German track Web site reports that 5,000 spectators waved white handkerchiefs in an emotional farewell gesture yesterday to M40 Jeff Hartwig, who turned 41 today. Jeff apparently competed in his final elite vault competition at Aachen. Despite low temps and rain, Jeff took fifth out of 12 with a jump of 5.40 (17-8 1/2), a foot short of his M40 world record set at the Eugene Olympic Trials. Some of Jeff’s Beijing experiences are recounted in this Phil Hersh blog post. A vault fan posted this about Jeff on Becca’s site: “Congrats on an amazing career!! and best of luck with whatever pursuit comes next for you. PB 6.03. 9 meets over 6.0m. 102 meets over 5.80.” Thanks for the memories, Jeff. But rest up and come back stronger at M45!

Here’s a rough translation of Jeff’s last elite meet:

Pole Vault: 5000 Aachen adopt Jeff Hartwig (USA)
The last time took pole Jeff Hartwig (* 1967, USA) on Wednesday evening when Domspringen in Aachen in a race to the rod with 5.40 meters, he was at his victory 14 years younger countryman Brad Walker (5.70 m) fifth. But the emotional highlight was when the audience with Jeff Hartwig waving white handkerchiefs adopted. 5,000 spectators were on his last jump on, fired at him and revealed a visibly taken Jeff Hartwig also repeatedly thereafter to start on the bridge to get him to be able to celebrate. This was the meeting of Aachen for his farewell from the Wettkampszene chosen because it is “the hottest marketplace Goto of the World” was.
However, the victory went to his teammate and world champion Brad Walker, the extra to Aachen had to leave when his friend to join. When he skipped only 5.70 meters. At 5.80 meters, a new meeting record, he nearly failed. Best German was the Filstaler Alexander Straub, skipped the 5.60-meter, the Leverkusen Lars Börgeling was third with 5.50 meters, Germany’s Tim Masters Springer lobing (* 1972, LG Stadtwerke Munich) with 5,30 m seventh. Low temperatures and rain always intercurrent conditions were not optimal, shortly once the race had to be interrupted. An enthusiastic audience, which caused mood, but this was offset.
Results
1st Brad Walker (USA) 5.70 m
2nd Alexander Straub (Filstal LG), 5,60 m
3rd Lars Börgeling (TSV Bayer 04 Leverkusen), 5.50 m
4th Fabian Schulze (LAZ Salamander Kornwestheim / Ludwigsburg) 5.50 m
5th Jeff Hartwig (USA) 5.40 m
6th Danny Ecker (TSV Bayer 04 Leverkusen), 5.40 m
7th Tim lobing (LG Stadtwerke Munich), 5,30 m
7th Malte Mohr (TSV Bayer 04 Leverkusen), 5,30 m
9th Richard Spiegel Castle (TSV Bayer 04 Leverkusen), 5,30 m
10th Rens Blom (* 1977, Netherlands), 5,30 m
11th Hendrik Gruber (TSV Bayer 04 Leverkusen) 5.10 m
12th Kim Yoo-Suk (South Korea) 5.10 m