World Cup flop followed by EM frenzy: But how good is German athletics really?

Created: 08/18/2022, 09:30 am

By: Gunter Klein

Gina Lückenkemper celebrates the gold medal.

© CHRISTIAN BRUNA

Gina Lückenkemper, Niklas Kaul and, and, and... After the recent World Cup flop, the European Championship is running like a rush.

But: How good is German athletics really?

Munich – What an evening in Munich's Olympic Stadium, which shook and roared like it used to at big football or occasionally at rock concerts.

The stage belonged to athletics, especially German athletics.

In the catacombs of the stadium, when the audience had already flowed into the park, bunches of reporters hung on Niklas Kaul.

A scenario that seemed unthinkable in July: At the World Championships in the USA, the German team (except for long jumper Malaika Mihambo and the women's sprint relay, which was surprisingly decorated with bronze) was off track.

Is German athletics back after the golden evening of the European Championships in Munich and the successes on the road (marathon and walking medals)?

It's all a question of perspective: In Munich, the spotlight was on Gina Lückenkemper, at a World Cup you would hardly have looked at her with the same performance: In Eugene's 100-meter final a month ago, she would be with her 10.99 seconds Finished seventh - the reality in the USA was that her path ended in the semifinals.

There is no doubt that Lückenkemper's form for the (home) European Championship was better, because she outperformed Dana Asher-Smith (Great Britain/10.83) and Mujinga Kambundji (Switzerland/10.91), who were ahead of her at the World Cup.

But just out of their reach is the trio from Jamaica with Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (10.67) at the top.

Women's discus © Sven Hoppe

Even Niklas Kaul, who appeared unstoppable and Herculean in Munich, would not have ended up on the podium with this performance in Eugene (he was sixth with 8434 points), but finished fourth.

Frenchman Kevin Mayer, who was injured at the European Championships, continues to fight in another league (almost 300 points more), provided he is healthy.

In many areas, the heart of athletics does not beat in Europe: the Caribbean and the USA are strong in sprints, Africa dominates endurance, and China and India now play a role in throwing, which the Germans still dominate.

In the German Athletics Association, too, this has to be explained to the leading officials again and again: Not just a medal is proof of a high-quality performance.

Christopher Linke © Marius Becker

Once gold, once bronze sounded terrible as a result of the World Cup.

And led to the great crisis stories.

Christopher Linke, who dropped out in Eugene in the 20 km walk and is now European vice champion over 35 km, says: “Critics are jealous.” Discipline colleague Jonathan Hilbert (2021 Olympic silver in Tokyo) explains more differentiated: “It can happen that it doesn't work for a lot of people.

But it can also be reversed – the German population should accept that.”

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Richard Ringer, the European marathon champion, sees himself as an example of how hierarchies can sometimes be overturned: “There are external influences, the weather, the shape of the day.

Who would have thought that no Ethiopian would finish in Tokyo?

It's always about one day - and you can beat someone who is normally a few minutes faster."