The two-time European obstacle champion Gesa Krause is back after her maternity break with a title at the German indoor championships.
Gesa Krause, who competed for the Silvesterlauf Trier club, won the 3,000 meter title at the German indoor championships for the second time. The 31-year-old prevailed on Saturday (February 17, 2024) in Leipzig after an energetic final lap in 9:06.90 minutes.
Elena Burkard – like Krause an obstacle specialist – came second in 9:08.39 minutes, ahead of Eva Dieterich from Tübingen in 9:10.21 minutes. “I always used to have a good last lap. It wasn’t that easy at the beginning after the pregnancy. It’s good that it’s still there. The title means a lot to me”said Krause and appeared very proud.
For Krause, the title fights are after her maternity break, a step towards her desired return Towards the international top over a 3,000 meter obstacle. In Leipzig she also qualified for the 1,500 meter final this Sunday.
Pole vaulter with disappointing performances
Oleg Zernikel, who was fifth in the World Championships in the pole vault, jumped 5.45 meters to win the title. The athlete from ASV Landau was the only one to have mastered this height in the first attempt. The defending champions Bo Kanda Lita Baehre and Torben Blech came in equal second Old master Raphael Holzdeppe in his last season. None of the quartet then mastered their next height. For Blech it was 5.55 meters, while for last year’s European Championship runner-up Lita Baehre, Zernikel and former world champion Holzdeppe, who were injured for a long time, 5.65 meters were each too high. “We have the Olympic Games ahead of us. You can’t get up there at 40”said Zernikel.
Kevin Kranz (6.61 seconds) and Rebekka Haase (both Wetzlar/7.21) won the 60 meters. European champion Gina Brückenkemper is foregoing the indoor season this year, her focus is on the outdoorHighlights with the European Championships in Rome and the Olympics in Paris. Former European triple jump champion Max Heß (Chemnitz) broke the 17-meter mark for the first time since 2021 and confidently secured his eighth championship title under the hall roof with a jump of 17.03 meters in his first attempt.
Broadcast on Saturday, February 17, 2024, 7:30 p.m., SWR Aktuell Rhineland-Palatinate, SWR RP
