Saturday 5th June 2021
Up and down at athletics DM
Tears over 100 meters, pain in throwing a javelin
The really great performances do not take place on the first day of the German athletics championships. But the joy of sprinter Alexandra Burghardt and pole vaulter Oleg Zernikel tears me, both fulfill a dream. Meanwhile, javelin thrower Thomas Röhler has to fight for him.
Luck and bad luck were close together on the first day of the German track and field championships. Olympic javelin champion Thomas Röhler must now fear for the Tokyo start after the injury-related task. In contrast, pole vaulter Oleg Zernikel was able to fulfill his long-cherished Olympic dream.
Despite the setback, Röhler remains confident. “It’s a precautionary measure, we’ve decided we don’t take any chances,” he said. He had felt a hardening in his chest. “That doesn’t set me back a bit.” A start is now planned for June 19th in Madrid. After the first attempt, the 29-year-old from Jena gave up. It was his first competition since 2019.
“We have a total of five athletes who have met the Olympic standard, but it is still early in the season,” said Idriss Gonschinska, director of competitive sports at the German Athletics Association. The registration deadline for the Tokyo Games was not until June 29th. “Thomas was very late and in very good shape before the Rio Olympics,” said Gonschinska. The Olympic favorite and world best of the year Johannes Vetter (Offenburg) had given up due to adductor problems.
In the absence of Vice European Champion Gina Lückenkemper, Alexandra Burghardt (Burghausen) not only surprisingly won her first title over 100 meters in 11.14 seconds, but also cracked the Olympic standard. Then she burst into tears with joy – knowing that the combination of title and standard would mean the nomination for Tokyo. Leipzig’s Marvin Schulte was the new men’s champion in 10.19 seconds ahead of Lucas Ansah-Peprah (Hamburg / 10.20). The five-time title holder Julian Reus (Wattenscheid / 10.37) only came in seventh and penultimate place.
Hussong sets a clear goal for the Olympics
Stab artist Zernikel felt the greatest happiness. The 26-year-old from Landau won the first championship title and at the same time bought the Olympic ticket with 5.80 meters. “My life was worth it, my goal in life has been achieved,” said the native of Kazakhstan. “I started dreaming about the Olympics when I wanted to quit – that was 2016.” The dethroned title holder and World Cup fourth Bo Kanda Lita Baehre (Leverkusen) finished second with 5.70 meters.
The fifth victory in the national medal contests for the exceptional javelin thrower Christin Hussong was more pleasant than a freestyle. The European champion from Zweibrücken nevertheless won unchallenged with a solid 63.30 meters. A week after her terrific 69.19 meter throw at the European Team, with which she is number two in the world best list behind the Polish Maria Andrejczyk (71.40), the air was out for the time being. “I’m very motivated, but I have to do the 69 meters first,” said the 27-year-old, who wants to show off in Japan: “I definitely want to win a medal.”
Last year Gesa Krause gave up over 3000 meters of obstacle, this time she won the title.
(Photo: imago images / Beautiful Sports)
Even the former European triple jump champion Max Hess was unable to exhaust his capabilities with the width of 16.51 meters. After all, the now five-time champion from Chemnitz is Europe’s number one and sixth-best in the world with 17.13 meters. On the wet track, however, like the competition, he seemed to choose the path of lower risk in order not to risk any injury.
Gesa Krause was really happy about winning the sixth championship title over 3000 meters obstacle in 9: 31.36 minutes. “It was only the second race over 3000 meters obstacle in 20 months. That is why I am satisfied with the time,” said the European champion and World Cup third from the Trier club, who is aiming for an Olympic medal.
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