Heading to Tokyo: German Relay Squads Reshuffle for World Athletics Championships
Contestants DLV-Aces Successfully Seize Three World Cup Passes during Rainy Conditions in China
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Leave the adrenaline-pumping races for later. Gear up for the strategic grind of the International Athletics Federation, where World Championship tickets are gifted through the exhilarating relay competitions! In Guangzhou, China, German squads paved the way with both excitement and apprehension. Despite some teams needing a redo, three quartets cemented their places for the Tokyo showdown (13-21 September).
The German 4x100m relay team, boasting the 9.99-second ace Owen Ansah, along with two women's relays, exhibit a mixed bag. qualifying confidently for the World Athletics Championships (WAC) due to turbulent performances in the World Relays Guangzhou. In a second-place finish during their heat, Kevin Kranz, Owen Ansah, Yannick Wolf, and Lucas Ansah-Peprah crossed the line in 38.33 seconds, bagging WAC qualification early on.
A similar story unfolded with the German women's 4x400m team. Skadi Schier, Johanna Martin, Mona Meyer, and Eileen Demes cruised to second place in 3:28.63 minutes, earning qualification from their beneficial draw. In the women's 4x100m relay, the trio of Nele Jaworski, Jessica-Bianca Wessolly, Rebekka Haase, and Sophia Junk took third place, but still beat the qualifying mark with the sixth-fastest time of 42.98 seconds. Gina Lückenkemper, the previous European champion, was absent during this competition.
Every cloud has a silver lining, and the absence of Lückenkember allowed a new squad to step up with the first breeze of a fresh opportunity. The mixed 4x400m team, featuring Manuel Sanders, Annkathrin Hoven, Emil Agyekum, and Jana Lakner, and the men's 4x400m team, consisting of Niklas Noah Klei, Friedrich Rumpf, Lukas Krappe, and Fabian Dammermann, must now make a comeback for a re-qualifying round on Sunday.
Guangzhou played host to 14 teams who will race their way to qualifications in the 4x100m (men and women) and 4x400m (men, women, and mixed) relays for the WAC. Amidst heavy rainfall on Saturday, the stakes were set for clinching direct tickets for the World Relays finals and the WAC simultaneously. For those who missed the cut on Saturday, three heats were planned on Sunday to sort out the chaos, with two teams per heat securing their spots for Tokyo.
Before their triumphant adventure, the German team retreated to Kuala Lumpur for an intensive training camp. Making its debut in the World Relays Guangzhou, the mixed 4x100m relay presented an exciting challenge. With women spearheading the first two legs and men handling the final sprint, the German mixed squad finished fourth in the heat. In a promising start, the rookie quartet, Sina Mayer, Sina Kammerschmitt, Aleksandar Askovic, and Chidiera Onuoha, clocked a time of 41.43 seconds.
Sources: ntv.de | tsi/sid
Further Insights
- World Athletics Relays Guangzhou 2025: Launching on May 10-11, 2025, at the Guangdong Olympic Stadium in Guangzhou, China, the 2025 World Athletics Relays will feature a mix of six relay events: men’s and women’s 4x400m and 4x100m relays, and mixed 4x100m and 4x400m relays.
- Qualification for World Athletics Championships: By the end of the World Athletics Relays, 14 teams in each event will have secured direct spots for the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, aside from the mixed 4x100m relay, where six teams will advance. Two additional teams per event may gain entry via performance lists during the qualification window, contingent upon whether these teams secure direct qualification through the World Relays. This system ensures that only the most competitive squads make the cut.
- The relay competitions in the World Athletics Championships offer an avenue for athletes to secure their tickets, with the German relay squads aiming to qualify for the Tokyo showdown, scheduled from 13th to 21st September.
- Excitingly, the German 4x400m women's relay team earned their qualification by finishing second in Guangzhou, China, in a time of 3:28.63 minutes, while the men's team must compete in a re-qualifying round after missing the cut.
- For those who are sports enthusiasts and would like to keep up with the world championships, consider following the World Athletics Championships on Facebook, Twitter, or WhatsApp for real-time updates on the events.
