Kiss goodbye! Berlin’s sprint star Alica Schmidt immediately jetted off on vacation to Thailand Photo: TOBIAS SCHWARZ/AFP
By Ulrike Krieger
The ISTAF on Sunday in the Olympic Stadium was an entertaining track and field party hit for the 37,000 fans and sportingly high-class.
The 120 top athletes conjured up a total of 16 personal bests, eight season bests, two national records and one continental record.
But what do the stars actually do after the meeting?
Discus thrower Kristin Pudenz (29/silver at the Olympics, European Championships and ISTAF) raced straight from the stadium over to the Waldbühne and attended the Marteria concert that same evening.
100 meter winner Noah Lyles (25/9.95 seconds) was sad: “I missed the after-party at the hotel because I had to leave immediately after the race, I had an appointment in Herzogenaurach with the sponsor.”
European decathlon champion Niklas Kaul (24) was immediately on the train after his javelin throwing excursion. The physics and sports student: “I had to go to university on Monday and on the same day I received an award in Mainz together with Julian Weber.”
Weber missed the train ride with buddy Kaul, because the ISTAF javelin winner and European champion was only a guest in the ZDF morning show.
400m hurdles world record holder Karsten Warholm treated himself to a visit to the zoo after the ISTAF Photo: FABRIZIO BENSCH/REUTERS
Berlin’s sprint beauty Alica Schmidt (23) boarded the vacation plane to Thailand. The Belgian trio of brothers Dylan (29), Jonathan and Kevin Borlée (both 34) stayed in Berlin. Dylan (winner 400 m): “We’re doing a sightseeing tour.”
The Norwegian 400m hurdles world record holder Karsten Warholm (26) enjoyed a stroll through the zoo and Malaika Mihambo (28) flew to the next meeting in Zurich.