Manuela Montebrun competing at the 2002 European Cup in Annecy (© Mark Shearman)
In Paris today, there will be celebrations to mark '100 days to go' until the 9th IAAF World Championships in Athletics (23-31 August 2003). French national hopes at those championships are largely expected to be focussed on current track stars such as Muriel Hurtis and Stéphane Diagana, and returning heroines Marie-José Perec and Heptathlete Eunice Barber.
However, less than two weeks ago, 23 year old Manuel Montebrun threw herself into the French national consciousness with a mighty 73.74m heave in the women's Hammer.
On 4 May in Saumur, France, which is situated four hours south of Normandy, Montebrun's throw surpassed her national record (72.54) by more than a metre, a distance which registered the French athlete as the world’s third best Hammer thrower of all-time.
“This record is far from being a surprise,” confessed the soft-spoken Montebrun, the bronze medallist at the 2002 European Championships in Munich. “This competition was of a lower level. It therefore enabled me to feel relaxed and it certainly helped me to perform.”
Just over eleven months before (15 June 2002) in Aunay-sur-Odon, a village of 8000 inhabitants nestled in the department of Calvados in Normandy, renowned for its apple cider and wine, Montebrun had in a similar fashion shattered her previous national record (71.18m - 2000) with a performance of 72.54m.
That mark stood at the end of last season as the third longest throw of 2002, behind European champion Olga Kuzenkova of Russia (73.07), and Poland’s Olympic champion Kamila Skolimowska (72.60).
Now in 2003 with another early season record in the bag, the 75 metres barrier which has only been crossed by two other women Hammer throwers - Romania’s suspended Mihaela Melinte (best of 76.07m, current WR), and Kouzenkova (best of 75.68m) – is a realistic proposition for Montebrun.
Unlike most athletes, who especially in a World Championships or Olympic year prefer to break their personal bests later in the season to coincide with a championships final, Montebrun rejoices in her new national record, and does not worry about her early peak of form.
“As I often say, I don’t have to do what has already been done,” she explained. “To break this record at the beginning of the year is not a bad thing…considering my preparation, this throw is logical and certainly not too early. I always try to throw as far as I can and to break my mark. This is really what I expected.”
Montebrun could not have made it any clearer, her main goal is logically to keep on improving. Nothing else seems to matter. Not even the World Championships to be held in Paris this August, well at least for the moment!
“A lot of girls have thrown over 70m so far this year,” she said. “The contest in Paris will be well disputed. However, only time will tell what we will need to throw to clinch a medal. It’s hard to say before hand.”
Eight women have so far thrown over 70 metres in 2003 including Cuba's World champion Yipsi Moreno (72.00m Area Record), who stands second on the current world season performance list behind Montebrun
Montebrun, who took the European Under-23 and World University titles in 2001, appears to have gained a increased confidence last summer, in which she took silver at the European Cup in Annecy, prior to her European bronze medal in Munich. She has a new found determination, which meant she did not dwell on her successes for long but instead focused quickly on even bigger goals in 2003 and 2004.
“The ideal way to prepare for a competition is to keep the same ritual and to brush away the extra pressure. I think you always need to convince yourself you will do better each time, otherwise you don’t enter a contest with the most favourable mental attitude.”
Needless to say, Manuela Montebrun demonstrates a growing maturity which belies her age, and with 100 days to go until Paris, this developing strength could well be the winning formula in the tense atmosphere of the World Championships.
