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Konstanze Klosterhalfen at the World Athletics Championships in Doha 2019 (archive image)
Photo: Oliver Welken DPA
Long-distance runner Konstanze Klosterhalfen made her season debut over the 5000 meters about a month before the World Championships in Athletics.
At the Diamond League Meeting in Oslo, the 25-year-old from Leverkusen came in eighth.
In 14:37.92 minutes, she was well behind her personal best (14:26.76) and the winning time of Dawit Seyaum from Ethiopia (14:25.84), but also easily stayed below the World Cup norm of 15: 10.00 minutes.
"It was great as a start, even though I would of course have liked to have run at the front," Klosterhalfen said after the race on the TV channel Sky in the cold and rainy weather: "But it's getting better from week to week.
It was simply a world-class field today.« Klosterhalfen had already made her season debut in May over the 1500 meters and 3000 meters after an injury following a fall ended her indoor season prematurely.
The former Junior European Champion Alina Reh (Berlin), who finished 15th in 15:06.29 minutes, had no chance in the high-class field in Oslo, but just missed her personal best time.
Klosterhalfen has long been considered an exceptional talent in German athletics.
The 25-year-old holds a number of German records on medium and long distances and has already taken part in the Olympic Games in Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2021.
Her biggest international success so far was a bronze medal at the World Championships in Doha 2019. The next World Championships in Athletics will take place from July 15th to 24th in Eugene, Oregon.
It's almost a home game for Klosterhalfen: she's been training and living in the US state since 2019.
Discus thrower Pudenz is third - moment of shock for pole jumper Duplantis
Discus thrower Kristin Pudenz provided the best German placement of the evening.
The Olympic silver medalist from Potsdam was only beaten by Croatian double Olympic champion Sandra Perkovic (66.82) and Tokyo Olympic champion Valarie Allman (65.91) in third with 63.31 m.
Pole vault world record holder Armand Duplantis from Sweden increased the year's world record to 6.02 meters, but had to survive a considerable moment of shock at 5.92 meters.
A towel had been forgotten in the wet puncture box, Duplantis only noticed the textile when he jumped and staggered dangerously for a moment.
Nevertheless, he managed the height in the third attempt.
US star Devon Allen won the 110 meter hurdles.
The 27-year-old, a sideline footballer with the Philadelphia Eagles, clocked 13.22 seconds in a headwind.
On Sunday he stormed into third place in the "eternal" best list in New York with a time of 12.84.
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