The German Athletics Association will start direct preparations for the World Championships from July 15th to 24th in Eugene, USA, next week.
From July 3rd, athletes, trainers and supervisors will travel to the pre-camp in Santa Barbara, staggered according to the start of the respective competition, the DLV announced on the sidelines of the German championships in Berlin. At Westmont College in California, not only training but also adaptation to the climate and time change is to be achieved.
In order to compensate for a time difference of nine hours, a nine-day stay would be recommended “in order to be able to compete with reasonable fitness,” explained Danny Scheinpflug, team manager of the DLV national team.
Apart from a few walkers and long-distance runners as well as the relay runners, most German track and field athletes would travel to Santa Barbara. The squad is expected to be named next Friday at the latest.
Association calculated with about 80 athletes
Head national coach Annett Stein said after the end of the national championships that the association had calculated with around 80 athletes. The number also depends on the outcome of other championships over the past weekend and the impact of the results on the world rankings. The ranking lists could also include athletes who have not met the World Cup standard. “We’ll know more on Wednesday,” Stein said.
Like many other nations, the DLV entourage will move into quarters on the campus of the University of Oregon in the World Cup location of Eugene, which is within walking distance of the Hayward Field stadium. “The downside is the convenience with shared bathrooms and showers.
That’s not easy to handle, especially in the pandemic situation,” said Scheinpflug. Prior to leaving for the pre-camp in Santa Barbara, prior corona tests are mandatory, and wearing masks in the campus rooms has also been agreed.
Since the home European Championships in Munich begin just three weeks after returning from the USA on August 15, there will also be a training camp in Erding, Bavaria. The DLV had already prepared its top athletes for the 2002 European Championships in Munich in this location. “After returning from the USA, the state of normal zero should be restored there,” said DLV organizer Scheinpflug.