The two-time European obstacle champion Gesa Krause won the 3000 meter title for the second time at the German indoor championships. The 31-year-old prevailed on Saturday in Leipzig after an energetic final lap in 9:06.90 minutes. Elena Burkard – like Krause, an obstacle specialist – came second in 9:08.39 minutes, ahead of Eva Dieterich from Tübingen in 9:10.21 minutes.
“I always used to have a good last lap. It wasn’t that easy at the beginning after the pregnancy, it’s good that it’s still there. The title means a lot to me,” said Krause and was very proud. For Krause, the title fights after her maternity break are a step towards her desired return to the top international level in the 3000 meter obstacle. In Leipzig she also qualified for the 1500 meter final this Sunday.
The German pole vaulters, however, were disappointing. Oleg Zernikel, who was fifth in the World Championships, jumped 5.45 meters to win the title. The athlete from ASV Landau was the only one to have mastered this height in the first attempt. The defending champions Bo Kanda Lita Baehre and Torben Blech as well as old champion Raphael Holzdeppe in his last season came in equal second.
Michael Reinsch, Leipzig Published/Updated: Recommendations: 2 Published/Updated: Recommendations: 11 Achim Dreis Published/Updated: Recommendations: 16
None of the quartet then mastered their next height. For Blech it was over at 5.55 meters, for the European Championship runner-up Lita Baehre, who was injured for a long time last year, Zernikel and the former world champion Holzdeppe were each 5.65 meters too high. “We have the Olympics ahead of us. You can’t get up there at 40,” said Zernikel.
