Simon Ehammer has mixed feelings after finishing 4th in the long jump. The fact that he just missed out on the Olympic medal he had hoped for will spur him on even more.
07.08.2024, 07:00
07.08.2024, 08:31
SDA
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- Simon Ehammer jumps to 4th place in the long jump at the Olympic Games in Paris with a distance of 8.20 meters.
- The man from Appenzell was aiming for a medal. "On the one hand, I'm super happy and proud - fourth place at the Olympic Games sounds good. On the other hand, I'm very, very disappointed."
- The fact that he was denied the dream of an Olympic medal (for now) will only spur him on even more. And there is one more highlight for him this year, as he is getting married in September.
Athletics is a world sport. A 4th place is therefore not to be valued highly enough. The last time a Swiss athlete won an Olympic medal in athletics was in Seoul in 1988, when shot putter Werner Günthör won bronze. But a 4th place is also bitter. Ehammer was 14 centimetres short of the podium with 8.20 meters.
That's why he had "wavering" feelings, he shed a few tears and "it won't have been the last. On the one hand, I'm extremely happy and proud, fourth place at the Olympic Games sounds good. On the other hand, I'm very, very disappointed. I know so much more would have been possible."
He was referring to the fact that he jumped his best distance "with virtually no bars", meaning he gave away a few centimetres. Little things didn't go right, "the necessary bit of competition luck was missing today". Commenting on the fact that he had a smile on his face before each of his six attempts, he said: "If I was standing there in an Olympic final with a strained expression, then I would be in the wrong place. I was able to enjoy it, after qualifying for the final a lot of pressure came off my shoulder."
Not an exceptional talent
The 4th place should also be rated very highly because Ehammer was not blessed with exceptional talent. He almost didn't get into the sports school in Teufen. "When he came to me, everything was fidgeting and wobbling, he was technically very bad," recalls René Wyler, the head of the Appenzellerland sports performance center where his protégé trains, who was responsible for Ehammer's overall planning. At the time, he wouldn't have bet a lot of money on a successful career for Ehammer.
However, he was already thinking big back then, which impressed Wyler. During the admissions interview for the sports school, Ehammer named participation in the Olympic Games as his goal. It's one thing to say that, but you also have to be prepared to do everything you can to achieve it. This is exactly what characterizes Ehammer. "When he achieved a personal best, he immediately thought ahead," Wyler looked back.
Ehammer had the phrase "Hard work will never let you down" tattooed on his bicep, which translates as: "Hard work will never let you down." He lives by this motto. He leaves nothing to chance; if someone is better than him, it spurs him on. "I hate losing, I want to be the best everywhere, even in small games. That's in me, that's what makes me who I am." So he leaves nothing to chance. In addition to mental training, he also does hypnosis.
Sees himself as privileged
What also describes Ehammer's character well is the fact that he has remained loyal to his coaching team despite many requests and offers. He is proud to have made it to the top of the world in a small club.
There is no danger of him taking off. Rather, he is an outgoing guy who likes to talk and considers it a privilege to be a professional. Despite his great ambition, he manages to strike a good balance between tension and relaxation.
A highlight still to come
Paris was Ehammer's first Olympic Games. He missed Tokyo three years ago due to a persistent inflammation in his groin.
He would have loved to have competed in the decathlon, his great passion, and the long jump in the French capital. However, he decided against it because the qualification for the long jump took place one day after the end of the decathlon. And after winning bronze at the 2022 World Championships, triumphing in the 2023 Diamond League final and winning bronze at the 2024 European Championships, he felt he had a better chance of finishing on the podium in the long jump.
The fact that he was denied the dream of an Olympic medal (for now) will only spur him on even more. He is also only 24 years old. And there is one more highlight for him this year, as he is getting married in September.
