Daniel Ståhl ready for anything in Birmingham
World discus champion knows preparation will be key when it comes to his pursuit of a first European title this summer.
Daniel Ståhl is renowned for his celebrations. Whether it be sprinting across the outfield after his three world title wins or screaming “I’m a Swedish viking!” at the camera following his Olympic victory five years ago, the larger than life character is more than happy to let the emotions flow.
That will be the case should he finish first at Birmingham 26 later this summer, too. The European Championships title is the only one to elude the 33-year-old so far in his illustrious career and to strike gold at the Alexander Stadium in August would be hugely meaningful.
In Europe, there are certain events when the level of competition is right up there with the Olympics or World Championships and that is very much the case when it comes to the men’s discus.
The defending European champion is Slovenia’s Kristjan Čeh, currently third on the world lists for 2026, while Lithuania’s world record-holder Mykolas Alekna will be in pursuit of the title he last won in 2022. Lawrence Okoye, bronze medallist in Munich four years ago, has also begun his season strongly by improving his British record and will have home advantage to call upon in the West Midlands.
The level of competition will be fierce, then, but Ståhl prides himself on making sure he is ready for everything. Ranked ninth going into the World Championships in Japan last year, he left no stone unturned in his preparation and that work paid dividends when the weather gods stepped in at the Olympic Stadium.
“I knew it was going to rain. Usually in Asia it gets rainy in September, October and November, so I made sure I was prepared,” says Ståhl, who was recently named among the group of 33 athletes that formed Sweden’s first round of selections for Birmingham 26.
Pole vault world record-holder Mondo Duplantis and world 10,000m bronze medallist Andreas Almgren also feature.
“In training I was throwing in the rain as much as I could so that I went to Tokyo with this attitude of: ‘If it’s raining, it’s like paradise. Don't think negatively or anything, just go for it and be focused’.”
That focus was crucial during a final that was delayed due to the conditions and saw Stahl become the last gold medallist of those world championships after all of the action had finished. His final throw of 70.47m denied Alekna a first world title.
“With all of the delays, it took three hours,” says the European silver medallist from Berlin 2018. “I was really proud of it.”
Given the notoriously fickle British weather, it will also be useful to be ready for anything when it comes to the European Championships final on the evening of August 13, then, but Ståhl also knows that his work will be cut out, even if the conditions are perfect.
“[Discus throwing] is so great right now, so you have to be at a certain high level to be in position [to compete],” he says. “I'm really thankful for all of these throwers throwing really far. [Winning European gold] would be a big bonus if I were to hit it, but it's really hard.”
Just watch out for the Swedish celebrations if he strikes gold.
