Same name, same club, same goals – they just aren’t related. Owen Ansah and Lucas Ansah-Peprah belong to the new generation of German sprinters – and have big plans for the European Athletics Championships in Munich.
“Maybe the ten seconds will fall here in Munich if things go well. I felt very good in training.” boom That’s an announcement. Owen Ansah speaks big words calmly. A German sprinter has never officially stayed under the magic mark; The German record of Julian Reus over 100 meters has been 10.01 seconds since 2016. But the 21-year-old is part of a new generation of sprinters who can pull off this coup – even if it may not yet be at the European Championships.
“Give the audience a good show”
With 10.08 and 10.09 seconds, the German champion delivered two strong times over 100 and 200 meters this year and has stabilized at a high level. His HSV teammate Lucas Ansah-Peprah, who just happens to have a similar name, even improved to 10.04 seconds at the beginning of July.
And it shouldn’t stay that way: “I want to beat my personal best, get into the final and put on a good show for the spectators in my own country,” emphasizes the 22-year-old, who, as number four in Europe’s best-of-the-year list, also reached the semi-finals on Tuesday ( August 16, 2022) is in the same position as his buddy Owen (seventh place). Julian Wagner (LC Thüringen) completes the strong 100-meter trio.
My goal is clearly the German record and breaking the ten-second mark. But I don’t put any pressure on myself. It would be nice if it happened on Tuesday. If not, then not.
No training world champions, but competition types
Carefree but focused, the two Hamburgers, who are now training in Mannheim and continue to compete for HSV, are pursuing their ambitious goals – and are real competitive types at the same time. “We’re not necessarily the world champions in training, but we do provoke each other and push each other that way. We just want to run fast and enjoy the competition,” says Lucas Ansah-Peprah.
Both describe their relationship on the track as “healthy competition”. “When we come onto the pitch, we’re not friends. Everyone concentrates on their run. But then we support each other again,” says Owen Ansah.
Ex-long jumper Bayer is a coach and role model
Coach Sebastian Bayer has a fine hand for his two talents, who advanced to the top of the national sprint circuit last year. Since 2019, the 36-year-old, once a world-class athlete himself and the European indoor long jump record holder with 8.71 m, has been looking after the hopeful Hamburg sprint duo. “He looks at us when we’re not doing so well or when we get nervous in a competition. We benefit a lot from his experience,” says Owen Ansah: “One day we want to be as successful as our coach.”
The coach is convinced of his protégés. And also “that they broke the ten seconds over 100 meters and the German record over 200 meters (20.20 seconds, ed.) in yourself”. The personal best time of Owen Ansah, who also starts over 200 meters at his European Championship premiere, is 20.35 seconds.
German record with the DLV quartet
After all, the two HSV sprinters already have a German record in their pockets: at the beginning of June they beat the record to 37.99 seconds with the DLV relay. “I’m looking forward to torching something with the guys in Munich. We’re trying to break our German record again. The changes in Regensburg weren’t ideal, we want to do better now,” said Owen Ansah.
Relay medal is possible
The unfortunate lead-out at the World Cup in Eugene is also ticked off under “learning money”. The cards will be reshuffled in Munich and the German quartet can run for a medal – maybe even the title. “I’m not here to do larifari. I want to run fast and show that I can be reckoned with in the years to come,” emphasizes Lucas Ansah-Peprah.
Summer Games in Paris the goal
Because in perspective, the goal is Paris 2024. And of course the Olympics beyond that. “I’m still young. I want to continue to develop like this, have an individual start in Paris, get a few laps further and continue to do sports until 2032, also with the relay and the boys,” Owen Ansah outlines his ambitious and clear plans for the future.
Home EM “a one-time thing”
But now it’s time for the home EM. “A European Championship in your own country is a one-off thing,” emphasizes Lucas Ansah-Peprah. “I hope that the audience will go crazy when I’m introduced. When a lot of people cheer for me, that pushes me even more,” emphasizes Owen Ansah. And then maybe the (almost) impossible is possible.