Axel Härstedt
Karl Axel Härstedt (born February 28, 1987) is a Swedish discus thrower.[1] A member of the Swedish track and field team at the 2015 IAAF World Championships and at the 2016 Summer Olympics, he launched his personal best throw of 66.03 m at a national track and field meet in Helsingborg nearly a month before the Games.[2] Härstedt currently trains for Malmö Athletics Club (Swedish: Malmö Allmänna Idrottsförening).[3]
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Karl Axel Härstedt |
| Born | 28 February 1987 Täby, Sweden |
| Height | 1.97 m (6 ft 6 in) |
| Weight | 135 kg (298 lb) |
| Sport | |
| Country | Sweden |
| Sport | Athletics |
| Event(s) | Discus throw |
| Club | Malmö AI |
| Achievements and titles | |
| Personal best(s) | Discus throw: 66.03 (2016) |
| Updated on 29 August 2015. | |
In 2016 Härstedt won the gold medal in the men's discus throw at the European Throwing Cup held in Arad, Romania.[4]
Härstedt competed for Sweden, along with his fellow countryman Daniel Ståhl, in the men's discus throw at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. Nearly a month before his maiden Games, he successfully nailed the IAAF Olympic entry standard (65.00) by over a single metre with a personal best of 66.03 at a national track and field meet in Helsingborg, a vast improvement from his previous mark of 64.72 set in Jönköping one year earlier.[2][5] Having unexpectedly entered the final round with his only qualifying throw of 63.58, Härstedt unleashed the discus into the field at an initial distance of 54.77, and then extended it powerfully to 62.12 m on the second round. With his next attempt prompting a foul, Härstedt bowed out of the competition in tenth place.[6][7]
Competition record
| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Representing Sweden | |||||
| 2005 | European Junior Championships | Kaunas, Lithuania | 13th (q) | Discus throw (1.75 kg) | 48.53 m |
| 2006 | World Junior Championships | Beijing, China | 14th (q) | Discus throw (1.75 kg) | 55.12 m |
| 2007 | European U23 Championships | Debrecen, Hungary | 14th (q) | Discus throw | 53.44 m |
| 2014 | European Championships | Zürich, Switzerland | 12th | Discus throw | 60.01 m |
| 2015 | World Championships | Beijing, China | 23rd (q) | Discus throw | 60.52 m |
| 2016 | European Championships | Amsterdam, Netherlands | – | Discus throw | NM |
| Olympic Games | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | 10th | Discus throw | 62.12 m | |
| 2018 | European Championships | Berlin, Germany | 17th (q) | Discus throw | 61.19 m |
References
- ^ . Rio 2016. Archived from the original on 26 August 2016. Retrieved 16 February 2017.
- ^ a b "Härstedt tog sista OS-chansen" [Härstedt took his last Olympic chance] (in Swedish). Sveriges Television. 11 July 2016. Retrieved 15 February 2017.
- ^ "Fin utmärkelse till Malmös nya OS-hopp" [Sports award goes to Malmö's new Olympic hopeful] (in Swedish). Sydsvenskan. 13 January 2016. Retrieved 15 February 2017.
- ^ "European Athletics competitions | European Athletics".
- ^ Jönsson, Kent (13 January 2016). "Axel Härstedt vill inte kasta bort chansen" [Axel Härstedt does not want to throw his chances away] (in Swedish). Sydsvenskan. Retrieved 15 February 2017.
- ^ . Rio 2016. Archived from the original on 26 August 2016. Retrieved 15 February 2017.
- ^ "Axel Härstedt tia i diskusfinalen" [Axel Härstedt finished tenth in the discus final] (in Swedish). Dalarnas Tidningar. 13 August 2016. Retrieved 15 February 2017.
External links
- Axel Härstedt at World Athletics
- SOK Profile (in Swedish)