High tension in the run-up: Nick Jäger fights his way to the European Championship finals

Nick Jäger did it: The Penzberger qualified for the final over the 3000 meter obstacle at the U23 European Championships in Tallinn.

In the end, the run-up was a nerve-wracking matter.

Penzberg / Tallinn - He had to fight off a number of competitors on the home straight, but Nick Jäger didn't let anyone pass: The Penzberg man easily qualified for the final run over the 3000 meter obstacle at the U23 European Championships in Tallinn (Estonia). In the second preliminary run, Jäger took third place with a time of 8: 50.10 minutes. This enabled him to reach the final, which will take place on Sunday at 3:45 p.m. From three preliminary heats, the four best and three fastest qualifiers each qualified. The second German, the reigning German U23 champion Velten Schneider (VfL Sindelfingen), was sixth in the first heat and missed the final with a time of 8: 54.17 minutes. Schneider was in second place until shortly before the end, but then collapsed.

Nick Jäger stayed in the front of the field right from the start. The Penzberger passed the 1000 meter mark in fourth place after 3: 02.12 minutes. Even after 2000 meters, Jäger (transit time: 5: 56.07 minutes) was in fourth position. As a result, the field widened. When it came to the final round, the TSV Penzberg athlete had worked his way up to third place. In an extremely exciting finish - a trio fought their way up to the German - Nick Jäger fended off all attacks from behind. In the end, the Penzberger had a lead of around one second over fourth-placed Frenchman Baptiste Coudert (8: 51.07 minutes). The Hungarian Istvan Palkovits (8: 48.69) won ahead of the Belgian Remi Schyns (8: 49.94). The winner of the third race posted the top time of all heats:The Portuguese Simao Bastos won in a personal best of 8: 43.71 minutes.