Throwing the 500-gram javelin, Weia Reinboud of Holland destroyed two heptathlon world records over the weekend, adding a WR of 1.40 (4-7) in her specialty the high jump for good measure. Competing at the Stendaler Hanse Cup multi-event meet in Stendal, Germany, Weia scored 6253 points — beating the listed record of 6211 using 400g javelin by Marianne Maier and the more recent 5244 by Ingeborg Zorzi with the 500g spear. (Results are here.) The events are (Day 1) 80-meter hurdles, high jump, shot put and 200 and (Day 2) long jump, javelin and 800. Weia topped the listed WR in the high jump of 1.37 (4-6) by Germany’s Ursula Stelling in 2006. I demanded a report from Weia, and she graciously replied.

Weia’s heptathlon marks, with wacky Google translation of the events. Sorry.

Weia writes:

Hurdles, trained zero times for it but my autopilot is good in hurdles. Time (15.93 +0.8) a bit slower than my prognosis, which should lead to a world record in the heptathlon, but only -5 points.

High jump, perfect in shape. After some hailstones during lower heights when I did not yet jump, the weather was good enough: sun, a bit cold and rather windy. Only one miss at 1.40, as I remember well. I jumped 1.40 without touching the bar (rare for me) and some room.

At 1.43 (4-8 1/4), unfortunately the weather changed (and it feels very, very high), during my third attempt already the shower started. But 41 points above the prognosis. I have no video or pictures. This height is an immense 1305 points!

Shot put meagre. I need 10 attempts and we got three. 8.12 (26-7 3/4) was 31 points below the prognosis.

200, nice weather during warmingup, but wind became stronger and a bit rain during my series. Strong headwind of say 8 m/s in the first half, difficult to accelerate. Then in the curve some strong gusts of wind. I couldn’t even hold my line. At the straight we had +2.2 so it is called wind-aided, allthough we had a big disadvantage! The others said they lost 1.5 seconds, but I never run 200, so I do not know my disadvantage. 34.73 was 68 points less than prognosis.

Day 1 ended with -50 points.

Day 2 much better weather. No rain, higher temperature, but still rather windy.

Long jump mediocre, 3.68 (12-0 3.4) (0.0), +36 points. Trained for it only two times, the week is too short to do everything properly.

Javelin, my shoulder is not cooperative this year. After treatment I managed to throw without pain, but technique and strength are not good due to so many missed workouts. 27.45 (90-0 3/4) was an improvement of 6 cm of my own national record of some weeks ago. Last year I did 30.02 in Stendal (and 31.10 at home). +16 points.

Prognosis for 800 was 3:10 (last year 3:12), and I should not run above that for the world record. Every 100 I watched my watch and saw not fast enough times. I started accelerating after 300 as I always do (800 is definitely in my system, it’s the nicest distance as long as you have trained for it).

First lap too slow! So I had to keep on accelerating and indeed ran a negative split of 3 seconds. I came nearer and nearer to the younger runners, did not reach them but my time was 3:07.40 and so the world record was a fact.

An improvement of 42 points of Marianne Maier’s record (Austria, Nyíregyháza 2010). Marianne is completely different from me. She is very fast, and very strong in the shot, while my strong points are high jump, jav and 800, compared to her.

WMA at the moment lists two world records for W60-74, due to the change of the spear to 500 grams last year. In the javelin itself it is logical to put the old records aside, but in the heptathlon the old records should count until the points are improved.

Or maybe a record limit of -50 points. Now WMA lists for W60 Phil Raschker’s 6341 and a record of 5458 with the new jav. This is silly, even with 0 points for Phil’s javelin she ranks higher. This 5458 of Ulrike Hiltscher (competing also in Stendal) has now in Stendal been improved by my compatriot Anja Akkerman to 5709: 14.93 – 1.25 – 9.14 – 32.43 – 4.04 –30.00 – 3:06.49.

By the way, Phil was present as a spectator.

The meet is called the Stendaler Hanse Cup and is very well-organised. They hope to become the Götzis for masters multi-events, but it is not yet very international. Two Dutch women among 15 competitors and one Norwegian among 20 decathletes. Spread the word!

Next year I will not join; this has been my last multi. Both in training and in competition I like the single events much more, it turns out.