News | marathonscene.com - Part 9

German milers with impressive performances in Hengelo

3 Germans men were present in the middle distance races of the Fanny Blankers-Koen Games in Hengelo/NED on 1st of June. Given the fact that the season is still young the performances were pretty good and raise hopes that there will be several middle distance runners in the home World Championships in Berlin.

In the 1.500m race Stefan Eberhardt clocked a 3:37,10min for 5th place in a competitive race which was won by Olympic Silver medallist Asbel Kiprop (KEN) in 3:34,45min. This time is a new personal best for the reigning German 1500m Indoor Champion. However, he just missed out the A-qualifier of 3:36,20min that was set from German Athletics Federation (DLV).

In the 800m-race the youngsters Robin Schembera (20) and Sebastian Keiner (19) represented Germany. Robin Schembera ran a PB of 1:45,63min for 6th place in his first individual race since July 2008! He only missed the A-standard (1:45,40min) by 23 hundreds of a second. Sebastian Keiner came home in 8th place with a time of 1:46,30min and missed his PB by only half a second. Both definitely have the talent to make the German team for the World Championships.


Antje Möldner with new German 3000m-steeplechase Record

On Monday afternoon Antje Möldner improved her own German 3000m steeplechase record to 9:27,22min in a meeting in Rehlingen/GER. The 25-year old was 2,64 seconds faster than last year, when she set the previous record in the heat of the Olympic Games in Beijing (9:29,86 min).

Möldner dominated the race in Rehlingen from the very beginning. “I went out in 3:07 for the first kilometer, following my own feeling and the external instructions. Running this time all alone is pretty fascinating. Accordingly I’m happy right now.” she stated.

With her time of 9:27,22min she was also clearly under the world championships qualifying mark of 9:40,00 min.

In the same meeting Arne Gabius clocked a fine 7:48,27 min in the mens 3000m-race to take 3rd place in an international field,

full results of the meeting leichtathletik.de

Sabrina Mockenhaupt clocks fast 3000m

Only couple of days after her nomination for the German marathon team, Sabrina Mockenhaupt once again proved her strong shape with a track 3000 in Wiesbaden/GER. On Friday evening she clocked a fine 8:45,79min. She missed her personal best only by around 1 second.

After a conservative start she steadily increased the pace and ran the last km in approx. 2:50min.

On June 7th, Mockenhaupt will have her next competition in Regensburg/GER, a 10.000m race.


German team for 100km World Cup and European Championships 2009 announced

Germany will send complete teams (4 men and 5 women) to the 100km World Cup on 19./20.06 in Torhout (BEL) that are at the same time the European 100km Championships.

The competition will start as a night run at 20.00 (8PM) and therefore temperatures are expected to be not too high, even thought the date in in midsummer. The race will take place on a flat 20km loop.

With André Collet and Michael Sommer the currently strongest German runners with a proven sub 7-hours potential were nominated for the mens race. Also Jörg Hooß already ran under 7 hours.

On the womens side some of the top-performers of recent years are missing. The German hopes are mainly on the 25-year old reigning German 100km-Champion Branka Hajek and 5 times German Champion Tanja Hooß with a lot of international experience.

The complete German team:

Men:

André COLLET (Aachener TG)
Jörg HOOß (LTF Marpingen)
Michael SOMMER (EK Schwaikheim)
Karlheinz WILD (TLV Rangsdorf)

Women:

Branka HAJEK (LAZ Salamander Ludwigsburg)
Tanja HOOß (LTF Marpingen)
Barbara MALLMANN (LG Ahlen)
Antje SCHUHAJ (TV Jahn Kempten)
Simone STÖPPLER (SSC Hanau-Rodenbach)


Germany nominates marathoners and race walkers for World Championships in Berlin 2009

On May 26th, the German athletics federation (DLV) selected the first athletes for the home World Championships 2009 in Berlin. 12 weeks ahead of the world championships the athletes for all road events (i.e. marathon and race walking) were the first ones to make the national team. After the qualification period ended on 24th of May, all the participants of the events that will take place outside of the Olympic stadium in Berlin (start and finish at the Brandenburg Gate with courses through the city) are now decided.

Germany will have a complete team for both the mens and womens marathon!

The womens team is led by 2-time London marathon winner Irina Mikitenko, who also has high hopes on winning an individual medal. Mikitenko will be joined by Sabrina Mockenhaupt, Melanie Kraus, Susanne Hahn and Luminita Zaituc. A possible nomination of Sabrina Mockenhaupt for the 10.000m track race is still possible, i.e. a double participation might not be excluded for her.In the womens category, Germany wants to chase a medal in the team competition with the nominated team (the fastest 3 runners will build one team in the world championships).

Also for the mens race a quintet was nominated, i.e. all possible places were filled – a rare procedure in the recent history of German marathon running. Even if André Pollmächer, Falk Cierpinski and Martin Beckmann just missed the individual entry standard of 2:13:00h they are joined by Stefan Koch and Tobias Sauter to build a complete team on home soil.

In the race walking events only 1 athlete per gender was nominated: Sabine Krantz will compete in the 20K womens race and André Höhne is nominated for both the 20K and 50K in the mens category.

The complete German team for the road events:

marathon women:

Irina Mikitenko (1972 / TV Wattenscheid 01)
Sabrina Mockenhaupt (1980 / Kölner Verein für Marathon)
Melanie Kraus (1974 / TSV Bayer 04 Leverkusen)
Susanne Hahn (1978 / SV Schlau.com Saar 05 Saarbrücken)
Luminita Zaituc (1968 / LG Braunschweig)
Reserve: Ulrike Maisch (1977 / 1.LAV Rostock)

marathon men:

André Pollmächer (1983 / LAC Erdgas Chemnitz)
Falk Cierpinski (1978 / SG Spergau)
Martin Beckmann ( 1977 / LG Leinfelden-Echterdingen)
Stefan Koch (1984 / LG Braunschweig)
Tobias Sauter (1983 / SG Spergau)

20 km race walking women:

Sabine Krantz (1981 / TV Wattenscheid 01)

20 km race walking men:

André Höhne (1978 / SCC Berlin)

50 km race walking men:

André Höhne (1978 / SCC Berlin)


Timo Zeiler defeats Jonathan Wyatt in Gamperney-mountain-run 2009

In the Gamperney-mountain-run in Grabs/SUI Timo Zeiler provided the first big surprise of the 2009 mountain running season as he won the mens race in an overwhelming manner. On the 8,8 Km course with an altitude difference of 1.000meters the German defeated the 6-time mountain-running world champion Jonathan Wyatt from New Zealand.

“Today I had my chances and I used them” said the 28-year old. “After the 7th place in the mountain-running world championships this is my biggest achievement.”

Already after around 4km Zeiler increased the pace and nobody could follow him. In the finish he had a lead of 44 seconds over the strongest mountain runner of the last years. The victory came only one week after his win in the mountain race in Mölten/ITA where he defeated European Champion Marco Gaiardo. The German is now the big favourite for the European mountain running Championships in Telfes/AUT on July 12th.

The Gamperney race was also a qualifying race for the European mountain running Championships and further athletes could secure their nomination with strong performances. In the mens category those athletes were Josef Beha (5. overall), Thomas Göpfert (6. overall) and Marco Sturm (8. overall).

In the womens race Lisa Reisinger surprised with a 2nd place in the overall classement but she will not compete in the European Championships. However, Marie-Luise Heilig-Duventäster (5. overall), Lea Bäuscher (6. overall) and Veronika Ulrich (7. overall) will represent Germany.

Also the German Youngsters presented themselves very well: In the male U19-category René Stöckert won in 49:44 min ahead of Fabian Alraun (51:54 min). Also in the female U 19-race (5,8 km; HD 425 m) Germany secured a double victory with Sarah Cornelsen (30:08 min) in 1st and Lena Schäfer (30:57 min) in 2nd place. Following those performances those athletes were also qualified for the European Championships.


Jana Hartmann with new 800m PB as she beats Olympic Champion Pamela Jelimo.

In her first 800m race 2009 Jana Hartmann could improve her PB of 2.02.53min in Rabat/MOR. In the first leg of the African IAAF tour she took 4th place with 2:02.19min in an international field. She even beat the 2008 Olympic 800m Champion and 3rd fastest 800m-runner ever, Pamela Jelimo, who only clocked a 2:02.46min.

To qualify for the German team for the IAAF World Championships Hartmann has to run sub 2:00,00 but with this season opener this does not seem to be impossible.

full results of the meeting mohammedviathleticsmeeting.com

Impressive season opener for Timo Zeiler

With an impressive win at the mountain race in Mölten/ITA reigning German mountain running champion Timo Zeiler started his competition season. The German, who placed 7th in the last mountain running world championships stormed the 9,1km course with 1050m altitude difference in a time of 46:48 min.

Zeiler beat European Champion Marco Gaiardo from Italy by over one and a half minute and also improved the course record from last years winner Gaiardos by 1:07 minutes.

The 28-year old commented: „I am really surprised with this season opener. It went great. I liked the course very much, so that I could apply pressure from the very beginning.“

Next week Zeiler will travel to Grabs/SUI where the German Athletics Federation has placed its qualification for the 2009 European Mountain Running Championships that will take place in Telfes/AUT on July 12th.


Antje Möldner tops off meeting in Pliezhausen with (inofficial) German Record

German steeplechase Olympian Antje Möldner set the highlight in the meeting of the uneven distances (“Meeting der krummen Strecken”) with a fine run at the 2.000m steeplechase. The 24-year old improved her inofficial German record from last year by more than 8 seconds to 6:15,90 min. Only eight athletes worldwide have been faster in the history of this distance! Not bad as an season opener. After the race Möldner commented: “6:20 min was the aim. I didn’t expect it to be that fast, especially because of the bad technique on the water jump. Now I’m confident to achieve further improvements later this season.” Second place in the race went to Julia Hiller in 6:27,41min.

In the womens1.000m race the reigning German 800m champion Jana Hartmann took 3rd place in 2:40,26 min behind the new meeting record holder Lenka Masna (CZE; 2:38,01 min) and Tereza Capkova (CZE, 2:39,81 min).

Full results of the Meeting can be found from here.


Jan Fitschen gives up World Championships hopes

On Monday May 11th, European 10.000m Champion Jan Fitschen announced that he is not going to run in the home World Championships in Berlin 2009.

After having trouble with the plantar tendon in his right foot for several months he finally realised that he is not going to be fit in time. After several months of alternative training and trials to start running the problems didn’t improve.

The 32-year old stated: „It is the absolute horror. I never thought that it takes such a long time. The situation is still unchanged. Occasionally it got even worse. Now it’s obvious that the foot is not going to be completely fit until summer. It’s useless…”

Fitschen will now take some weeks completely off and only continues with the physiotherapy. He is now planning to run some road races in the autumn season.


Newer Entries » « Older Entries