Track and field athlete Johannes Trefz wants to qualify for the Olympics in Tokyo via the “World Relays”.
He meets strong competition.
In addition to the Olympics, the 28-year-old has other goals this year.
Weilheim - "That would be a dream: With the relay to the Olympics." With this sentence Johannes Trefz was quoted ten years ago in the local newspaper.
The athlete from Weilheim had just returned from the U20 European Championship in Tallin (Estonia) - with a personal best time of 400 meters (47.37 seconds) and a bronze medal (with the 4 x 400 meter relay).
Trefz, now 28 years old, still has the goal of making it to the Olympic Games. "I work hard every day to be able to take part there," said the squad athlete recently on the TSV Graefelfing website. Trefz started for the club from the Würmtal in 2019. Incidentally, the relay aspect is more topical than ever: The Weilheimer can secure an Olympic ticket at the “World Relays” next weekend in Poland. Trefz is nominated for the German mixed relay over the 4 x 400 meters (we reported).
As a professional athlete, the 28-year-old can also train in the corona pandemic.
Compared to other athletes, the DLV athletes only have to cope with minor restrictions.
Trefz recently stayed in Gran Canaria in a four-week training camp run by the German Athletics Association.
A first test competition was also on the program.
In a duel with other German top sprinters, Trefz finished sixth in 47.87 seconds.
Johannes Trefz at World Relays in the mixed relay
The three-time German 400-meter champion will be serious about “Olympic qualification” on Saturday and Sunday, May 1st and 2nd. In the Silesian Chorzów (near Katowice), the German mixed relay must reach at least eighth place in order to be sure to be placed for Tokyo 2020. However, the competition is fierce: 24 other nations have registered relays. The Belgians even offer the Borlee brothers (Jonathan, Kevin and Dylan). Others also rely on staff who have already been internationally successful: the Dutch on Femke Bol (2 x gold at the European Indoor Championships in 2021), the British on Amy Allcock (bronze at the 2018 Indoor World Championships).
Even if Trefz meets the norm with the DLV relay (nominated are Hannah Mergenthaler, Manuel Sanders, Ruth Sophia Spelmeyer-Preuß and Luna Thiel), he cannot be sure that he will be allowed to go to Tokyo. "I have to deliver my best performance at the German championships on June 5th and 6th, because this is where it will be decided who will ultimately be allowed to participate," explains the TSV long sprinter. For Trefz, it is almost certain that the Games will take place in Japan: "I assume that the Olympics will take place, even if spectators will most likely be missing".
The Weilheimer is also aiming for a personal best this year; the previous mark is 45.70 seconds (ran in 2018). "After two years with minor injuries, I want to stay injury-free this time in addition to a new personal best." Important for him: Trefz can continue to count on his sponsors. In addition to the company "Schmidbauer" (supports the entire Graefelfinger top-class sport project), this also includes the Bundeswehr.