By STEVE GREEN OLYMPIC Women s Javelin contender Goldie Sayers produced what she described as a good performance in Sunday s Aviva Norwich Union London Grand Prix at Crystal Palace – the last big meeting prior to the Games themselves. Throwing second in

By STEVE GREEN

OLYMPIC Women's Javelin contender Goldie Sayers produced what she described as "a good performance" in Sunday's Aviva Norwich Union London Grand Prix at Crystal Palace - the last big meeting prior to the Games themselves.

Throwing second in the eight-strong field, Sayers achieved 62.35 metres in the first round to lead narrowly from the three Germans - Steffi Nerius (61.68), Linda Stahl (61.44) and Christina Obergfoll (60.54).

She then fouled in the second round, relinquishing the lead to Obergfoll who threw a stadium record of 65.93.

Obergfoll - who like Goldie is 26 years of age - fouled in both the fourth and fifth rounds, but still managed to hold off the challenge of the British thrower who fouled on her second, fourth and sixth attempts.

The Belgrave Harriers athlete consolidated second place in the field with a third round throw of 63.82, which was just 14 cm short of her season's best.

Nerius - now 36 but a silver medallist at the Athens Olympics - consistently threw around the 60-metre mark, whilst up-coming youngster Stahl (22) never managed to get within four-and-a-half metres of her first round effort.

Sayers described the result as "irrelevant" in terms of what may happen at the Beijing Games, however.

"I'll be looking to throw further at the Olympics," she told the Ely Standard this week, "but at the moment I'd rather be consistent than put in the odd long throw."

She was nevertheless pleased to have beaten the likes of silver medallist Nerius at this stage of her preparation.

Event winner Obergfoll is one of the favourites for gold in China, and boasts a season's best of 67.72. She remains one of only two female athletes to have thrown in excess of 70 metres, although that distance was achieved almost three years ago.

Barbora Spotakova (Czech Republic) has thrown further than anyone else this season (69.15), but she did not compete at the London Grand Prix.

Goldie flies to Macau on August 5, and she then arrives at the Olympic Village 10 days later.

The qualifying competition for the Women's Javelin takes place on August 19, with the final being held on August 21.

Goldie believes the qualifying standard will be around the 61-metre mark, but feels that she will not necessarily have to achieve that in order to secure a place in the top 12.

"Air quality may affect distances slightly," concluded the former Kings School pupil, "but there will be no wind to contend with.