Records, kisses, cuddle course
For a few moments, the World Cup debacle is forgotten
By David Needy, Berlin
09/03/2023, 8:35 p.m
At the World Cup in Budapest, the Germans performed worse than ever, but reconciliation followed at the Istaf in Berlin. Joshua Abuaku, Joshua Hartmann and Julian Weber sprint and throw to victory. And then a 1.66 meter small Ethiopian conjures up an unbelievable show on the track.
The fans gave the German athletes warm applause at the performances in the well-attended, but of course not sold-out Berlin Olympic Stadium. 34,500 spectators gather in the round – only a few fewer than at the first game of Hertha BSC at the home game opener in the 2nd Bundesliga. Athletics continues to pull after the debacle in Budapest, the first world championships without a medal. But, and that’s also part of the truth, she doesn’t really rock either.
And so is the Istaf, the first appearance of the German elite after the “Salto Nullo”, in the capital symbolic of the German performance recently, also at the World Cup: It’s kind of good, but it’s not enough for a cracker, i.e. medals. So it fits in that European champion Gina Lückenkemper, who of course most people wanted to see here, is not in Berlin at all. The 100-meter sprinter had wanted to rehabilitate herself in Berlin for a disappointing World Cup in Eugene in 2022 and, according to her own statement, had openly flirted with the World Cup final, as she told ntv.de. She wanted to sound the attack. But it was all useless. Out in the semifinals, again. On Sunday she had to stay in bed at home in Bamberg because of an infection instead of creating fresh enthusiasm in Berlin.
Despite all the criticism: In Budapest, some Germans showed outstanding performances, several personal bests. These also tumble in Berlin. Jean Paul Bredau wins the 400 meter race in a fabulous 44.96 seconds. Not just a personal record and a German annual record: the last time a German ran under 45 seconds was 18 years ago. With this time, Bredau would have finished fifth in the World Cup final. “We tried a lot of new things this year,” he explained afterwards. If only it was always that easy.
Abuaku, Weber and Hartmann win
With the extremely relaxed Joshua Abuaku, it always looks as if the 400 meter hurdles were incredibly easy for him. The 27-year-old trumped at the World Championships and reached the final with a personal best of 48.32 seconds – as the first German long hurdler since Harald Schmid 36 years ago in Rome. He even beats this time again, wins the race in a strong 48.12 seconds and completes a much-acclaimed lap of honor. 47.56 seconds was enough for the bronze medal in the World Cup final. “I want to run even faster next year,” announces Abuaka. “This year I made it into the top eight in the world, so I have to build on that.” Perhaps the memory of the world record run over 100 meters by Usain Bolt in 2009 pushed him in Berlin, which the hurdler “marveled at from the curve” as a teenager.
Shortly thereafter, Julian Weber, who had just missed out on precious metal at the World Cup, throws a strong throw and delights the round. “Of course I would have liked to take a medal from Budapest with me,” said the European champion at the press conference on Friday. “All the more I want to show what I can do at the home game in Berlin.” He throws his javelin 84.09 meters in Berlin, which does not come close to his best performance of the season of 88.72 meters, but is still enough for victory and a lap of honor including a little dance. Weber “emotions run high” in the interview and he is happy about “the best year of my career”. The fans cheer.
Then it’s Joshua Hartmann’s turn, who had planned a lot at the World Championships over 200 meters, then crashed out in the heat and then had to take a lot. The 24-year-old literally flies over the fast blue track this time and triumphs in 20.14 seconds. Hartmann still has time on the finish line to kiss the audience. Without this, however, he might even have broken the 20-second barrier. After all: The time would have been enough for sixth place in the World Cup final. A conciliatory end to the season for the sprinter.
Gidey’s incredible run
Kristin Pudenz, sixth at the World Championships with 65.96 meters, throws her discus to 64.90 meters and thus takes second place. Valarie Allman from the USA, second with 69.23 meters ten days ago in the high-class final in Budapest, throws for the third time at the third Istaf start over 70 meters and wins dominantly with 70.47 meters. world best of the year. Sometimes, from a German perspective, there is bad luck and bad timing.
The fact that the Germans can’t run at the top of the world over 5000 meters is nothing new. In any case, the incredible run of Letesenbet Gidey leaves nothing but amazement for all the other athletes. With small, fast steps, the Ethiopian, who is only 1.66 meters tall, laps almost all other runners. In 14:08.79 minutes, Gidey conjures up the third fastest time ever over this distance on the blue tartan track. The 25-year-old is one of those exceptional talents that Germany almost never produces. Gidey is already one of the best runners of all time and currently holds the world records over 10,000 meters (29:01.03 minutes) and in the half marathon (62:52 minutes). Even Konstanze Klosterhalfen couldn’t keep up, in 14:50.47 minutes the best German won the European Championship title last year in Munich.
Marlene Meier also trumps in Berlin and runs a personal best and German best time of the year, 13.00 seconds over 100 meters hurdles. The fourth place is a long way from the winner (Danielle Williams from Jamaica). And even Williams’ 12.71 seconds would not even have been enough for the finale in Budapest.
Superstar Shaunae Miller-Uibo celebrates her Istaf premiere over 400 meters, but only four months after the birth of her son she retires halfway through the race. Alica Schmidt, on the other hand, is a strong third with a personal best: 52.07 seconds. “Next year” she finally wants to run under 52 seconds, she says afterwards. For comparison, Talitha Diggs was eighth in the World Championship final with 51.25 seconds, Marileidy Paulino won in 48.76. These are worlds in a sprint.
DLV must get better for Paris
The final is the women’s 100 meters. A highlight even in the absence of Gina Lückenkemper. Suddenly it’s completely quiet in the Olympic Stadium – but with an average run, Rebekka Haase is the best German in fifth place in 11.47 seconds. Lisa Marie Kwayie and Louise Wieland follow in seventh and eighth, while Jenna Prandini (11.24 seconds) wins. The last one in the race celebrates a great moment: runner-juwel Lilith Belau, a 15-year-old student, was allowed to move up for Lückenkemper and runs her first run in 12.48 seconds in front of a large crowd.
Great performances in Berlin – but what is missing at the top of the world. What do the other nations have ahead of Germany? How can the DLV athletes do better at the Olympic Games in Paris next year? Money for athletics, support for athletes from a young age, structures, international training groups. There are adjustment screws that have to be turned.
On this Sunday in late-summer Berlin, that doesn’t really matter in the end. The fans had fun. When the medals are handed over, the mascot bear cuddles all the winners again. There were also bratwurst and currywurst. Sporty highlights especially. All good for now. From tomorrow it’s all about Paris.