Gesa Krause claimed her third European 3,000-meter steeplechase title at the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham, securing the first gold medal of the event for the German team in a dramatic final.
A Historic Final and Tactical Dominance
Three German starters reached the final of the 3.000-meter steeplechase for the first time in championship history. In the race itself, the German athletes dictated the early pace. Lea Meyer pushed the tempo aggressively from the start, with Krause tracking her closely as the field stretched out early. Olivia Gürth maintained contact with the leading group throughout the opening stages.
After covering just over two kilometers, the pace slowed, turning the tactical battle into a dramatic showdown. Krause unleashed the most effective closing kick down the homestretch, crossing the finish line first in 9:12,69 minutes. France’s defending champion Alice Finot claimed silver in 9:14,24 minutes, while Gürth captured the bronze medal in 9:15,33 minutes.
Triumph for Krause, Career Milestone for Gürth
For the 34-year-old Krause, the victory marks her third European gold following previous triumphs in Amsterdam in 2016 and Berlin in 2018. Her continental medal collection also includes a bronze from Helsinki in 2012 and a silver from 2021. Since welcoming a daughter in the spring of 2023, Krause has balanced motherhood with elite competition.
Speaking to ZDF after the race, Krause reflected on the journey: “I am almost at a loss for words. I feel so good, it’s fun, it’s my life, and I’ve sort of created my own life’s work with this. As long as my body cooperates, I want to stay true to the sport.” She added, “For the third time I get to hear the anthem, maybe it’s the last time—which makes the moment all the more meaningful for me. I’m just incredibly grateful that the race plan worked out, that despite all the nervousness, I was completely with myself in the race today.”
For 24-year-old Gürth, who secured multiple European titles in the junior ranks, the bronze medal represents the greatest achievement of her career. “This is a dream that you perhaps don’t speak out loud publicly, but that you already carry inside yourself,” Gürth said of her podium finish.
Heartbreak for Meyer at the Water Jump
While the top of the podium celebrated, the race ended in disappointment for Meyer. Running strongly in medal position, Meyer fell at the last water jump and crossed the finish line in fourth place with a time of 9:17,07 minutes. A similar mishap had derailed her preliminary heat at the 2022 World Championships.
“That was silly and stupid, but it is what it is,” Meyer told ZDF, immediately pivoting to future goals. “At the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, I want to run at the front as the German record holder.”
Ansah Advances in the 200 Meters
In other track events at the championships in Birmingham, German sprinter Owen Ansah secured victory in his 200-meter semifinal heat with a time of 20.04 seconds, missing Joshua Hartmann’s 2023 national record by just two hundredths of a second. The performance came two days after Ansah claimed bronze in the 100-meter final, which marked his first individual medal at a major championship.
Asked by ZDF about a proposed four-year suspension by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) stemming from an alleged refusal of a doping control test—a charge Ansah rejects—the 25-year-old sprinter declined to comment and broke off the television interview. Ansah remains unsuspended and advanced to the 200-meter final.
Hartmann finished his semifinal heat in 20.36 seconds, missing the final by a single hundredth of a second, while teammate Kameron Horton was eliminated after clocking 20.58 seconds. The men’s 200-meter final is scheduled for Friday evening.
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