Sebastian Dietz had already won gold at the 2012 Paralympics. At 42.18 meters, he also held the discus world record in his class. And yet his appearance at the Internationales Stadionfest (“International Stadium Festival” – ISTAF) was unique. The Allianz employee was the first-ever German Paralympian to enter an official competition at the ISTAF for athletes without handicaps. He competed against Robert Harting, also the current world champion and gold medalist for discus in London.
The 38.27 meter throw did not quite reach Dietz’s personal best, but nonetheless the competition was very important to him: “It was a great event, especially for handicapped sports. I hope that, if nothing else, my performance made one thing clear: You can’t compare apples and oranges, but we are all serious athletes.”
