Sabrina Mockenhaupt winner of the German Championships (© Getty Images)
There was a fierce battle for the 3000m women’s title on the first day of the German Indoor Championships in Dortmund today. At the end of a tactical race with a couple of changes in pace Sabrina Mockenhaupt had more stamina in a long sprint against Irina Mikitenko, who has suffered of injuries in recent years.
Mockenhaupt clocked 8:53.77 while Mikitenko who eventually clocked 8:57.67 had given up the chase 100 metres before the finish. Mockenhaupt, who at 23 is eight years younger than Mikitenko, had already shown her form when she beat her national rival at the meeting in Dortmund this season. Mockenhaupt had run the qualifying time for the World Indoor Championships before with a national season’s best of 8:46.02. She will be among the German team in Budapest.
The best result of the day came in the women’s 3000m walk, an event which will not be contested at the World Indoor Championships in two weeks. Melanie Seeger finished with a new national record of 11:50.48. The 27 year-old athlete from Potsdam broke the 13 year-old mark of 11:50.90 set by Beate Anders (Gummelt) by less than half a second.
“It came as no surprise to me that Melanie was able to break this record,” Germany’s national coach for walking Ronald Weigel said. Later Andreas Erm, who is personally coached by Weigel, took the 5000m walk title in 18:59.16 minutes.
“I suffered from stomach problems after the first two kilometres, but my time is okay. For me this was just like training. All the focus is towards the Olympics. I have not decided yet if I will compete in the 20km and 50km in Athens,” Andreas Erm said.
After years of injury problems and loss of form Nastja Ryshich came back with a season’s best of 4.35m to win the women’s Pole Vault. The 1999 World Indoor champion said: “I am happy to have won here. It was not easy mentally for me today. But now I am optimistic for the future.”
End of season for Becker who suffers pole accident in training
The pole vault final suffered from the absence of the country’s best athlete Annika Becker who has definitely been very unlucky recently. The silver medallist from Paris-Saint Denis 2003 had a training accident some 10 days ago and her pole broke. She twisted her neck and had to be treated in hospital. With her season’s best of 4.68m Becker had a realistic chance of winning a medal in Budapest but had to put an end to her indoor season after suffering this accident.
In recent weeks the German media have written plenty of stories about the comeback of former German star Susen Tiedtke. The blond long jumper who has made the headlines world wide for many years – and not just for her athletics performances - had announced a comeback to competition earlier this winter.
Dortmund marked her first competition since her announcement and the result was as expected not worth all the publicity. More than twelve years after jumping her personal best of 7.00m the 35 year-old had to be content with third place in a low key competition. Tiedtke produced six valid jumps between 6.06m and 6.19m. Since she had stopped her business of selling hot dogs and turned back to sports last summer Tiedtke was training on her own in Mainz. Sophie Krauel won the event with 6.56 metres.
Former World champion Charles Friedek took the Triple Jump title with a 16.70 metres performance. Having missed the qualifying standard for Budapest he has now eyes set on getting back at his best level in time for the Olympics.
“It does not look as if I will go to Budapest for the World Indoors,” the triple jumper said. Earlier in the season, Friedek had jumped just 2 centimetres short of the qualifying mark of 16.80m. “I had just one good competition this season. That was in Gothenburg last weekend. There I had a chance to get the mark, but unfortunately I was ill.”
Jörg Wenig for the IAAF
Results, day one
Men
3000m
1. Jan Fitschen 8:02.59
2. Filmon Ghirma 8:04.67
3. Sebastian Hallmann 8:12.90.
60m Hurdles
1. Jan Schindzielorz 7.76
2. David Filipowski 7.77
3. Thomas Blaschek 7.79.
High Jump
1. Roman Fricke 2.25
2. Eike Onnen 2.22
3. Marius Hanniske 2.14.
Triple Jump
1. Charles Friedek 16.70
2. Thomas Moede 16.57
3. Rudolf Helpling 16.56
Shot Put
1. Ralf Bartels 20.22
2. Detlef Bock 19.72
3. Peter Sack 19.45
4. Andy Dittmar 19.43.
5000m Walk
1. Andreas Erm 18:59.16
2. Mike Trautmann 19:09.97
3. André Höhne 19:21.78.
Women
3000m
1. Sabrina Mockenhaupt 8:53.77
2. Irina Mikitenko 8:57.67
3. Ulrike Maisch 9:24.22
60m Hurdles
1. Juliane Sprenger-Afflerbach 8.02
2. Annika Meyer 8.17
3. Nadine Hentschke 8.33
Long Jump
1. Sophie Krauel 6.56
2. Bianca Kappler 6.50
3. Susen Tiedtke 6.19.
Pole Vault
1. Nastja Ryshich 4.35
2. Carolin Hingst 4.30,
3. Silke Spiegelburg 4.20
Shot Put
1. Nadine Kleinert 18.70
2. Nadine Beckel 17.38
3. Kristin Marten 17.01.
3000m Walk
1. Melanie Seeger 11:50.48 (nat. record)
2. Sabine Zimmer 12:00.39
3. Andrea Meloni 12:34.28.
