Tuesday, August 03, 2021
That brings the Olympic Wednesday
Germany’s king of athletes is now getting started
On Wednesday at the Olympics, an exceptional German runner will be in a good starting position, directing attention to the very warm open water swimming and the appearance of the youngest athlete in the German squad for Tokyo. Athletics is looking forward to a double all-around event.
Swimming, open water: The twelfth day of the Olympic Games in Tokyo begins even before the clocks in Germany jump to midnight. At 11.30 p.m. German time – i.e. 6.30 a.m. local time – the women’s decision about 10 kilometers in open water starts. It starts so early because the water in the Odaiba Marine Park is already so warm and the organizers hope that the disturbances in the early morning will be as minimal as possible. National coach Bernd Berkhahn said during the preparation: “There were a few races with such high temperatures and most of them ended with the athletes only staggering to the finish.” The German swimmers Finnia Wunram (2019 vice world champion over 25 kilometers) and Leonie Beck (2019 world championship third over 5 kilometers) belong to the group of medal candidates.
Golf: The first of four rounds in the women’s golf tournament begins at 0.30 a.m. Germany is represented by Caroline Masson and Sophia Popov, who a year ago sensationally became the first German woman to win a major tournament at the British Open.
Skateboard: Lilly Stoephasius is 14 years old and was born in June 2007. For many, it may feel like the day before yesterday, but the Berlin native belongs to the extended world elite in the park discipline. It starts at 2 a.m., then for the medals from 5.30 a.m. And Stoephasius, after all third in the 2019 World Cup and second in the European Championship, could in the best case then play a role there, her goal is a place in the top ten.
Athletics: With Malaika Mihambo, the German Athletics Association’s first hope for gold has met expectations in the best possible way, now the one where a defeat would be even more surprising than a victory is taking part. Johannes Vetter has won 19 competitions in a row, his annual best of 96.29 meters is also unmatched worldwide. The javelin thrower has to pass the qualification at 2:05 a.m. before medals are on Saturday.
Somewhat unusual for large championships is that the all-around competitions for men and women start on the same day. In Tokyo it is like this: The decathletes around Kai Kazmirek, world champion Niklas Kaul as the reigning “King of the Athletes” and the French world record holder Kevin Mayer start the 100 meters at 2 o’clock, the heptathletes Carolin Schäfer and Vanessa Grimm take it from 2.35 am Clock over 100 meter hurdles for the first time with the competition for Rio Olympic champion Nafissatou Thiam from Belgium and the British Katarina Johnson-Thompson, world champion of 2019.
Meanwhile, the career track is about medals in running over hurdles and obstacles. The final of the 400 meter hurdles women will take place without German participation, but led by the American Sydney McLaughlin with the prospect of a new world record at 4.30 a.m. On the other hand, Gesa Felicitas Krause is aiming for a medal for Germany at 1 p.m. over the 3000 meter obstacle. After finishing sixth in Rio 2016, the two-time European champion and two-time bronze medalist at world championships would like to fight for the first three places this time. There are also finals in the men’s hammer throw (1:15 p.m.), over 800 meters for the men (2:05 p.m.) and finally over 200 meters for the men, which promise an exciting finish after the fast semi-finals the day before.
Table tennis: In the team competitions, the semi-finals are due, both German teams are still represented and still need a victory – either in the semi-finals or in the game for third place – to secure a medal. After beating South Korea 3-2, the women have the hardest possible task, as China has won all three previous events. It starts at 3 o’clock. The men around the individual bronze winner Dimitrij Ovtcharov will meet Japan from 12.30 p.m. – and Ovtcharov and Timo Boll will have the chance to stand on the podium for the fourth time at the fourth team competition. The medal games will then take place on Thursday (women) and Friday (men).
Sail: Luise Wanser and Anastasiya Winkel are eighth after ten of eleven races, the way in the medal race of the 470s is too far because they can no longer be achieved. After three medals the day before, another one would have been the final highlight.
Cycling, rail: German record yes, medal race no. In the team pursuit, Theo Reinhardt, Felix Groß and Leon Rohde drive faster in 3: 48.861 minutes than any German team before, but after 4000 meters it is clear that the connection to the absolute top of the world has not yet been made. Italy reached the final with a world record in 3: 42.307 minutes and is now the favorite for gold. The Germans, on the other hand, have been a long way behind the top nations since silver at the 2002 World Cup, which is now the 20th year.
Riding, jumping: Three German riders had lined up to qualify for the final this Wednesday (12 noon). Only the world number one Daniel Deußer on his mare Killer Queen succeeded. 26 pairs remained faultless. “It’s surprising that so many have gone zero here,” said Deußer: “But I’m going to the final with good hopes.” Unlike Christian Kukuk with Mumbai and André Thieme with Chakaria, who are then only spectators. London Olympic champion Steve Guerdat also missed a place in the top 30.
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