Many top performers refrain from participating because of optimal preparation for the two summer highlights World Cup and European Championships at home. 18 athletes from the DLV are there and want to “Show that even a small German team with good performances can cause a stir”as head coach Annett Stein said.
Kazmirek, Hess and Blech with outsider chances
At least in the sprinters, the Germans would have been well represented, but Tatjana Pinto got injured and had to pull out.
Well-known names and thus medal hopes in the DLV team are, in addition to Lückenkemper (SSC Berlin), heptathlete Kai Kazmirek (LG Rhein Wied) and the former European triple jump champion Max Hess (LAC Chemnitz). In the high jump, Torben Blech (Bayer Leverkusen) starts with outsider chances on the podium.
Tight time windows for athletics events
Olympic long jump champion Mihambo had already ended her indoor season like many other athletes because she was already starting to prepare for the outdoor season. There are two highlights within a short space of time this year: the World Championships will take place in Eugene, Oregon in the US in mid-July, followed just a month later by the European Championships in Munich.
Duel between Coleman and Jacobs
100m world champion Christian Coleman missed Tokyo because of his anti-doping ban – and so Lamont Marcell Jacobs snagged the prestigious Olympic victory. Meanwhile, the US bad boy Coleman is allowed to run again and wants to show the world who the true number one in the sprint is.
With his 6.45 seconds, he leads the world list over 60 meters and wants to defend his title. Jacobs lurks in fifth place with his 6.49 seconds. “My goal above all is to win everything possible to keep the standard I set in Tokyo”said the Italian.
Duplantis does not yet see himself at the limit
Following Usain Bolt’s retirement, Armand Duplantis is fast becoming the face of athletics. Young, dynamic, smart and mega successful: The Sonnyboy from Sweden inspires fans and experts. For World Association President Sebastian Coe, Duplantis is one of the “rock stars” of the sport.
The European champion has just screwed his own world record to 6.19 meters – and then announced even more. “I don’t think that’s all”, said the high-flyer. Will the next world record show follow in Belgrade?
Six Ukrainians at the start
Despite the war in their homeland, six Ukrainians are taking part in Belgrade, the best-known starter is high jumper Yaroslava Mahuchich. The 20-year-old won bronze in Tokyo – and then celebrated with Olympic champion Marija Lasizkene from Russia.
Lasizkene will not be at the start, the world association World Athletics has all athletes, coaches and officials from Russia and Belarus because of the Russian invasion “effective immediately for the foreseeable future” excluded from all international events. “Everyone is now doing what they can to stand shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine”said WA President Coe: “And the sport has to do that too.”
The German squad at a glance
WOMEN:
60 meters: Gina Lückenkemper (SCC Berlin)
60 meter hurdles: Monika Zapalska (TV Wattenscheid 01)
3,000 meters: Hanna Klein (LAV Stadtwerke Tübingen)
Triple jump: Neele Eckhardt-Noack (LG Göttingen)
Shot put: Sara Gambetta (SV Halle), Katharina Maisch (LV 90 Erzgebirge)
MEN:
60 meters: Aleksandar Askovic (LG Stadtwerke Munich)
60 meter hurdles: Gregor Traber (LAV Stadtwerke Tübingen)
400 meters: Patrick Schneider (TV Wattenscheid 01)
800 meters: Marc Reuther (Eintracht Frankfurt)
1,500 meters: Robert Farken (SC DHfK Leipzig), Christoph Kessler (LG Region Karlsruhe)
3,000 meters: Sam Parsons (Eintracht Frankfurt), Maximilian Thorwirth (SFD 75 Düsseldorf-Süd)
Pole vault: Torben Blech (TSV Bayer 04 Leverkusen), Oleg Zernikel (ASV Landau)
Triple jump: Max Hess (LAC Erdgas Chemnitz)
Heptathlon: Kai Kazmirek (LG Rhein-Wied)
Source: red/sid/dpa