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Olympic silver in the ice track, World Championship bronze on the tartan track – and now the exploit at the home European Championship?
The thermometer in Zurich’s Letzigrund shows well over 30 degrees on Wednesday. However, the athletes on the track are not deterred by this. Again and again they catapult themselves out of the starting blocks and get feedback from trainer Patrick Saile. One of them is the German Alexandra Burghardt.
The 28-year-old, last year’s German champion in the 100 and 200 meters, has been training in the Letzigrund for some time. How did that happen? «My coach Patrick is the national sprint coach in Switzerland. I had previously worked with him in Munich and would like to continue training under him. Now I’m here. Thank God the Swiss Association allowed that,” smiles Burghardt.
It is by far not the only connection Burghardt has to Switzerland. When she was still training in Mannheim, she lived with Mujinga Kambundji. The two are still good friends today. Her current training group includes Sarah Atcho, a member of the Swiss sprint relay.
Switzerland’s medal “stolen”
Speaking of the relay: Burghardt recently managed a real coup there at the World Championships in Eugene. She sprinted to bronze with her teammates behind USA and Jamaica. A medal that the Swiss squadron has been working towards for years. Was there one or the other saying? Burghardt weighs it down: “It was all very friendly, we treat each other to it. In any case, I would have expected the Swiss women to do it too. »
It’s a privilege to be able to run a major championship at home. Mujinga told me what it was like in Zurich back then.
Burghardt is a multi-talent. It wasn’t too long ago that she caused a sensation on the ice track. She won silver in two-man bobsleigh at the 2021 Olympic Games in Beijing alongside Mariama Jamanka. “It wasn’t actually planned. I’ve often been asked about it, but first I wanted to exploit my potential in athletics,” explains the 1.82 meter tall athlete. Because things went well in the sprint, it was clear that she would finally accept the (repeated) request from Olympic champion Jamanka.
Now Burghardt’s focus is fully on the tartan track. And it goes in quick succession. The EM in Munich as part of the European Championships is coming up, almost on Burghardt’s doorstep. “It’s incredible. It’s a privilege to be able to run a major championship at home. Mujinga told me what it was like in Zurich back then. It’s going to be a unique experience,” says the German happily.
Soon more often in Zurich?
The big goal is a medal, realistically in the relay. It remains to be seen whether the Germans will stand in front of the Swiss again. Burghardt gets the finishing touches for the showdown in Zurich. In a city where she might one day want to settle down.