Controversy Surrounds Delays in Discus Final at Tokyo Championships
The discus final at the 2025 World Championships faced delays and controversies due to severe weather conditions.
- • The discus final was delayed by two hours due to heavy rain.
- • Kajsa Bergqvist criticized attempts to postpone the final until the next day.
- • Daniel Ståhl won gold amidst challenging weather conditions.
- • Athletes voted to continue the final despite safety concerns.
Key details
Significant weather disruptions characterized the discus final at the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo, leading to heated debates among athletes and officials. The final, originally scheduled to start at 13:10 Swedish time, was delayed by two hours due to heavy rain, with the event commencing at 15:15. Kajsa Bergqvist, the Swedish team captain, voiced her disapproval of the Australian team's push to postpone the competition to the next day, labeling it 'extremely unsportsmanlike.'
Despite safety concerns over the competition's conditions, particularly regarding slippery surfaces, athlete Daniel Ståhl expressed determination to proceed, having trained under similarly rainy conditions throughout the summer. Behind the scenes, discussions were rife among competing countries about whether to cancel, continue that night, or postpone. Ultimately, a majority of athletes voted to continue, resulting in the event taking place under challenging circumstances. Ståhl made use of specialized shoes for better grip and delivered an exceptional performance, clinching gold with his season's best throw, while navigating through the controversial weather situation.