Sabine Rumpf
(Foto: Gantenberg)
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[29.04.2005] She is considered one of the most promising young talents in the German
discus team. In her hometown Selters (Taunus) Sabine Rumpf trains eight times a week. For a good purpose: she
strives for a goal - the European Athletics U23 Championships in Erfurt.
In fact she had no alternative but to become an athlete. "My parents used to take me to the sports field even
when I was very young", the athlete from LSG Goldener Grund reports. Like every child starting in athletics,
she tried every track and field event. "But in throwing I've always been best." Especially she was taken with
the discus throw. Finally in 1998 after winning the silver medal at the South-German Championships Sabine
arrived at a decision: she would become a thrower!
Definitely a good decision considered that only just one year later the Rumpf familiy was brimming over with
enthusiasm. Sabine achieved a seventh place at the German Junior Championships in Duisburg coached by her dad
Hans-Jürgen. Since then her brother-in-law Martin Picogna has been coaching Sabine.
Fourth place in Kingston
From then on she's been on the up-and-up. Highlight for the time being: the Junior World Championships in
Kingston 2002. Under the Jamaican sun the powerful athlete was able to surprise everybody including herself
with a fourth place and a personal best. "Sure it´s annoying not to win a medal, but it was a great experience
though". One year later she achieved the seventh place at the European U23 Championships in Bydgoszcz (Poland).
"The season 2004 was just bad", the student tells, owing to a torn ligament that forced her onto crutches.
Instead of throwing at a meeting in Halle she had to stay outside the facilities. "The injury made me go back
to the condition of six weeks before." Even today the ambitious thrower finds this regress annoying.
While she was on the mend her competitors kept working. "It was certain that I would not be able to throw up to
the top at the National Championships." But Sabine Rumpf came back while her competitors already were on holiday.
On 21st August she achieved a new personal best (58,05 m) in Arnstadt. That result meant place eight in the U23
ranking and the fifth best length in the German ranking of 2004.
Part of the discus family
At the European Cup Winter Throwing in Mersin (Turkey) she could gain even more self-confidence. Not only because
she competed against the Olympic Champion Natalya Sadova (Russia) but also because she came in sixth and proved
she is in a good shape for the coming season. "It was a great competition. I felt being part of the big discus
family and recognized that the top is not out of reach."
The German team coach Gert Böttcher also gives commendations. "Sabine is able to throw 58m continually which
makes her a candidate to win a medal at the European Championships U23." Sabine herself is overmodest regarding
the competition in July. "If I pass through the qualification everything is possible in Erfurt. My aim is to be
one of the first eight. Winning a medal is a dream."
Studying at reduced power
Due to her good shape there have been questions regarding the World Championships in Helsinki (Finland) in early
August. Even Jürgen Schult, team coach of the male discus throwers, talked to her about this opportunity. He
will take her to a training camp to Portugal before she competes on 8th May for the first time this summer.
"Helsinki seems to be out of reach. Sure it would be great if made it, but the European Championships U23 in
Erfurt are more important."
Instead she fancies a start at the Universiade in Istanbul (Turkey) which takes place from 11th - 21st August.
Besides sport, she spends some time at university though her lectureship studies run at reduced power. The
centre of attention in Sabine's life is sport. The family supports her 100 %. Her parents Rita and Hans-Jürgen
were her first coaches and even both her sisters are enthusiastic athletes.
No boredom
In fact, throwing is not enough for the 22 year old. "At the end of a season I always take part in a hepthalon.
I also like pole vault. I need a little fun otherwise I get bored."
"My biggest strenght is my looseness", Sabine Rumpf knows her advantage. Gert Böttcher makes clear: "She has
the right attitude and the physical preconditions to replace Franka Dietzsch once she has retired." (an/jk)
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