The performance was strong: Julia Rath (15) won bronze at the U-20-DM in Neubrandenburg over 1500 meters. The Penzbergerin is happy about it - but already has another major event in mind.
Penzberg - Julia Rath had experienced enough in the run-up. In the final at the German U-20 indoor championship, the Penzberger therefore immediately fled to the front. The first laps over the 1500 meters led the athlete from LAC Quelle Fürth in the field where she was one of the youngest at the age of 15. She ran the first 400 meters in just 74 seconds and was the first to cross the mark. Her coach, Jörg Stäcker, told her before the race that she had the potential for a medal, "But I didn't believe it myself," says Rath with a smile. But she kept up her pace and did not let herself be shaken off by the competitors, who sometimes passed by. And when the chance for precious metal was actually there shortly before the end, “I saw that I could somehow make it”. A tremendous final spurt gave Rath a clear gap to fourth and fifth. With a time of 4: 33.77 minutes, the high school student won bronze.
Julia Rath: bronze with personal best
For Rath it was "a dream, I didn't expect it". Indeed, it would have been a bit presumptuous to plan for a podium. Rath has just moved up to the U-18 class, she was only number twelve on the entry list with her previous top time (4: 39.10 / ran in July 2019). And on top of that, she had only completed two 1500-meter races before. The choice of discipline was made before leaving for Neubrandenburg. Over the 800 meters, Rath had won the German U-16 title last year (in 2: 13.45 minutes), but her strengths, as the past training months had shown, are rather the 1500 meters distance. "I'm better in endurance," said Rath.
Julia Rath: The mail goes off in advance
In the first of three preliminary rounds, the mail went off right away. The Penzberger had to run in the area of her best time to qualify for the final. With a time of 4: 39.69 minutes, she finished 15 hundredths behind top favorite Lisa Hausdorf (AG Hamburg West) - reported with a time of 4: 21.28 - in second place. The finals of the top twelve had been reached - "That was my goal," said Rath.
That she then pulverized her personal best in the final (with an average speed of 19.7 km / h) and stormed to the medal was one of several surprises that the Bavarian youngsters delivered in the title fights in Mecklenburg-West Pomerania. With a total of 15 podium places, the young BLV athletes were more successful than they had been in years.
Julia Rath: First place in the DLV leaderboard
Rath usually prefers outdoor competitions, but the atmosphere and the hall in Neubrandenburg “were really cool”. The career, however, was a little different than what she is used to, with longer corners that are also inclined. In addition, "the track was pretty hard," reports Rath. None of this had an impact on her performance - "when you run you don't notice it anymore". With her final run time, Julia Rath is currently in the DLV leaderboard among the U-18 women at the 1500 meter distance.
And the 15-year-old wants to be even faster. She has already saved a mark - 4: 27.50 minutes. This is the norm over the 1500 meters in order to qualify for the U-18 European Championship, which takes place in July in Rieti (Italy). Rath would have to improve by over six seconds. "It's a good deal," she says. She has the will.
Julia Rath: Live and train in Nuremberg
The 15-year-old focused her life on sport. She has been at the Bertolt-Brecht-Gymnasium in Nuremberg since October 2018. It is one of the “elite schools of sport”. Rath attends the tenth grade in a branch where athletes can combine their talent with school. Training is scheduled three times a week in the morning. For this, the lessons take longer in the afternoon. But it is also not the case that the pupils receive all-round full care there. Rath has to organize a good deal himself. "The days are pretty packed," she says.
The student visits the family in Upper Bavaria's home once or twice a month. She is still a member of TSV Penzberg. In competitions where a start pass is not required, it will continue to run in the orange TSV jersey. Races in the region, like those in the "Oberland Challenge" series, "she likes very much," says mother Christine.
The next assignment, however, is again at Germany level. Julia Rath wants to start at the Crosslauf-DM, which takes place on March 7th in Sindelfingen. There she has to run 4.4 kilometers in her age group; for Rath a long distance. "Let's see what is possible," she says reluctantly. In 2019 she won the Bavarian championship.
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