Sprinter Gina Lückenkemper talks about her special relationship with the Berlin Olympic Stadium, the attraction of international training groups – and why even jogging can be fun.
RBB | 24: Ms. Lückenkemper, with which three words do you describe the Berlin Istaf?
Gina Lückenkemper: Emotional, fast and loud.
A good keyword is emotional, because it was for you last year when you ran the 100 meters in 10.93 seconds. Personal best time, accompanied by shiny eyes and limitless cheers.
That was special. The fact that I succeeded in the Berlin Olympic Stadium was of course an absolute highlight. With an incredibly great mood and atmosphere. I love this stadium. Here I had my first professional meeting in 2015.
What do you think is in this year?
The training this week was very good and was a lot of fun. I could feel the speed right. This is always a very good sign for me.
All important questions and answers about the Berlin IstAF
The ISTAF belongs to Berlin like a television tower and victory column. Why the sports event takes place so much earlier than usual this year, which stars come to the Olympic Stadium and what else can expect the spectators.more
They didn’t have such an easy half of the year. They injured themselves in February, had to pause.
I had to keep my feet a bit and jog. That was not for me. I am always happy to walk briefly and quickly. And then go jogging for 30 minutes – that was a little too boring for me, I have to confess. But that was only a few weeks.
Sounds like an optimistic character.
I treat myself to a day, when something like this happens, a day. But after that, the look must be straightened back. Concentrating me on the negative is just a bad mood. I prefer to work with goals. And even if this jogging was not the hit for me, I even had a little fun in the end by entertaining my family with funny video clips.
At the end of June, at international Athletics meeting In Dessau, they spoke of the fact that there was a tailwind and they prefer it than headwind and that the good did that day. What would do good at ISTAF?
I have never seen anything in Berlin at IstAF that made it difficult for me. On the contrary, there is always such an incredibly good mood, so it can only be easy. We always notice that the people in the stadium go along with how they cheer us on the track and that arrives incredibly with us.
Five anecdotes about the Olympic Stadium
The Berlin Olympic Stadium has been the venue for the DFB Cup final since 1985. And historically as much more as this list of curious facts and data shows.more
As much as they love Isthaf and Berlin, they mainly complete their training in the United States. An expensive matter in the large proportions of theirs Sponsorship flow. Are the conditions in Germany so much worse?
It is not necessarily the conditions, but simply the opportunities to have an internationally strong training group. German trainers who work with the German Athletics Association are prohibited from training international athletes. Because it is said that they are partially paid for by the Federal Ministry of the Interior and would then strengthen the competition. In my eyes, however, we also weaken our local athletes. I have to find that such an international training group is a huge advantage for me. Simply because you are surrounded by a completely different mindset.
The competition inspires?
Daryll Neita, one of my biggest competitors, has been in my training group since January and I honestly can’t imagine anything better. Because we are incredibly spuring ourselves, bumping incredibly. She is currently in London, I in Germany. But we also have contact there, send great, funny songs for inspiration.
Let’s look ahead. The Germans follow after the ISTAF Championships At the finals in Dresden. Then in September the World championships in Tokyo. What is possible?
Fast times. (laughs) Fast times should be possible everywhere. We trained very well. The injury in February was stupid, but now did not know how to get me back. I’m curious to see what will happen on the track in the coming weeks and months. But I showed last year that I can still run fast times in September.
Thank you for the conversation.
The interview is a slightly shortened and edited version of a conversation for the RBB24 Inforadio. It was led by Stephanie Baczyk.
Broadcast: RBB24 Inforadio, July 25, 2025, 7:15 p.m.
