Pole vaulter Danny Ecker prepares for Munich
For a lot of people Martinique is a paradise for dreamholidays. Danny Ecker will have a lot of work during his stay at the island in the caribian sea. The pole vaulter from Leverkusen plans to prepare at this fascinated location for the following outdoor-season. And Ecker has big plans in the next month. At the beginning of may, he will return to Germany. But before he comes back to Europe, the 24 year old athlete will jump at a meeting in Martinique to test his shape. Because he wants to know how things going on.
(Foto: Listl)
Because at the European Chamionships in Munich, the 1,92 m tall guy will take part in the fight of the medals. The son of the two-times Olympic Champion from 1972, Heide Ecker-Rosendahl is wellknown as the most talented jumper in the fantastic szene of the young German pole vaulter.
But Ecker`s goal is not only to win a medal in Munich, he acts as an ambassador for the European Championships and in this function he wants to promote the event.
Six meter in February 2001
One of the best kind of advertising are excellent results. Danny Ecker already jumped over the six meter mark in February 2001. So his best result indoor is better than outdoor, where he reached 5,93 m.
After his big coup he interrupted his season to get an operation at his foot. He used to have pains since a long time and Ecker decided to do it exactly at this time. So he missed the World indoor championships 2001 in Lisbon, even he was one of the top favourite jumpers.
But he wanted to be fit at the World Championships outdoor in Edmonton/Kanada. And Ecker was in a good shape again, but in the competition he had problems in his run-up and at the end he was disappointed, because he couldn`t show his real potential. At the end he was landing at the eleventh place. That was not the thing he wanted to do.
This will not happen again this year, that`s sure for the tall guy from Leverkusen. In the Olympic-Stadium he will fight for a medal. Up to now he made it two times at indoor championships. 1998 he was third at the European Championships under the roor in Valencia, one year later he won bronce again in Maybashi at the Indoor World Championships.
Munich is a good place
For Family Ecker-Rosendahl Munich is a very good place. Danny Ecker`s mother exacly 30 years ago at the Olympic Games won three medals in the same stadium. A very promising omen. Ecker`s dad was coming 1971 from the United States to Leverkusen and was one of the best players this team ever had. Dany Ecker was interested in the Basketball as well and traveled to USA to a students exchange. And he wanted to play in a Highschool team. But it didn`t work like Danny Ecker had imagined. So he came back to Germany and started to do the pole vault more
seriously. It was a decision which had big aftereffects.
1996 he improved the German Youth Record to 5,50 m indoor and 5,52 m outdoor. One year later he reached already 5,71 m. Today his best mark is 5,93 m outdoor -indoor he added seven Zentimeter more and Danny Ecker was the first six-meter-jumper indoor. And this shouldn`t be the end.
Danny Ecker never gives up
His foot-problems he used to have since years. And sometimes he suffered and had a lot of pains. But the 24 year old athlete is a person who never gives up. His potenzial is enormous. Almost everybody believes that. Even the world recordholder Sergei Bubka is impressed to see Ecker jumping. And his mother is his biggest fan. And she helped his son a lot to manage his popularity began almost overnight. And that the media compared him often with his succesful famous mother, - specially at the beginning of his career, there is no problem. He even see a positive thing in that. "She can help me and tell me some nice advices how to behave", Danny Ecker tells.
The pole vaulter is quite young, but he knows already exacly what`s going on. And he is a serious, strong competitor in Bavarians capital for all the other top-jumpers in Europe. And he is waiting for the absolute highlight. Why it shouldn`t come in Munich for the ambassador for the Europeans.
For that every step and every jump is important. And every single bead of perspiration. Even in the paradise at a dream-Island. Far away from Germany. And in any case: it won`t be in vain for Danny Ecker.
Ursula Kaiser
