Chaos and confusion, of all things, at the pinnacle race of the Para World Championships for track and field athletes in Paris: After the 100-meter final of the prosthetic sprinters, Felix Streng didn’t know for a long time which medal he had won. And Johannes Floors didn’t know if he would even get one.
The two Paralympic winners had finished third and fourth until the Italian winner Maxcel Amo Manu was listed on the official website as a disqualification. However, according to the official result list that was distributed, he only saw a yellow card because of a delayed start.
“I don’t know what medal I have, but I assume it’s bronze,” said Streng, who won the 100 meters at the Tokyo 2021 Paralympics. And Floors said fairly that he wouldn’t see fit to disqualify Manu.
“It took him a long time, but I don’t want to accuse anyone of deliberately drying off his prosthesis for too long,” said Floors, the 400-meter winner from Tokyo: “Because I know it’s necessary. Above all , because we’re not allowed towels in the starting block. That’s not possible. At the Paralympics we’re allowed to have all that.”
Starting blocks cause criticism
In addition, the same slippery starting blocks were ready that Streng, Floors and other athletes had criticized the day before after the semifinals. And again a start was shot back because of a starter’s slip. “That’s not possible,” said Streng: “You can’t shoot everyone back until they hit the perfect start.” This was particularly bitter for Floors: He had caught the first start “phenomenal” and got out of the block far less well in the second.
Meanwhile, Nicole Nicoleitzik from Püttlingen won bronze over 100 meters. After two gold and two silver medals at European Championships, it was the first World Cup medal for Claudia Nicoleitzik’s sister, who won World Cup gold in the 100 meters in 2013 and a total of 19 medals at major international events. “I didn’t think it was possible,” said the 28-year-old, “but I just ran.” In the morning, world record holder Niko Kappel from Stuttgart had to be content with silver in the shot put of the small stature.