Is Germany’s sensational feat only possible in America?

After his German record in the decathlon, Leo Neugebauer considers himself one of the favorites at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest (August 19 to 27) – and attributes his performance largely to the conditions in America.

“If I’m healthy, I think a medal is possible,” said the college student from Stuttgarter Zeitung / Nagrichten: “But it’s also clear that the Olympic Games in Paris will be the most important competition in a year.”

Neugebauer had improved the previous week to a sensational 8836 points, four points better than Jürgen Hingsen in 1984. “The fact that I was able to train for a year without injury plays an important role,” said Neugebauer about his performance explosion: “But the main reason is the conditions I have at the university in Austin / Texas after deciding to do an athletic scholarship in the USA in 2020.

In America, Neugebauer “receives optimal funding. Living on a campus, the concentration of sports facilities, study conditions and medical care is very special and brings many benefits to my training and my performance,” he said: “In addition, we have regular physiotherapy and medical on site. Scholarship means no financial burden for me.