Leipzig Athletes Defend Titles, Secure Top Six Finishes in 2025 Light Athletics-DM; Gold-Robert Stays Champion
The recently renovated Heinz-Steyer Stadium in Dresden was packed with spectators as the 125th German Athletics Championships, part of Die Finals 2025, took place. Among the many exciting moments, the highlight was the performance of 27-year-old Robert Farken from Leipzig.
Two months prior to the championships, Farken broke the almost 45-year-old German record in the 1500 meters with a time of 3:30.80 minutes. He continued his impressive form at the championships, winning the gold medal with a time of 3:46.96. This victory not only secured his position as the German national champion but also set a new personal best and reinforced his status as one of Europe's top middle-distance runners.
Robert Farken, currently part of the MoGoNo athletics team, has been training under Dathan Ritzenhein, an experienced American distance runner and coach, known for guiding elite athletes. Farken's progression and record-breaking performances indicate that Ritzenhein's coaching has effectively advanced his middle-distance capabilities.
In addition to Farken's success, the SC DHfK team from Leipzig achieved three top-six finishes. The 4x100 meters relay team, the second-youngest in the 23-team starting field with an average age of 19.5 years, finished in 6th place with a time of 45.53 seconds. Oliver Kreisel from the same team finished in a respectable sixth place in the 1500 meters final.
Lilly Empl from SG MoGoNo finished in 19th place in the 100m hurdles with a time of 13.94 seconds, while Lilly Steingaß from SC DHfK finished in 14th place in the 3000 meters hurdles with a time of 10:57.03 minutes. Hannah Stegenwallner, a 23-year-old athlete from SC DHfK Leipzig, set a new personal best of 9:58.32 minutes in the 3000 meters hurdles, finishing fifth.
Other notable performances included Rocco Martin of SG MoGoNo setting a new personal best of 46.56 seconds in the 400m final, but not qualifying for the final due to finishing 3rd in his semifinal and two competitors being faster. Joelina Miltschus from SC DHfK finished in 32nd place in the 100 meters with a time of 11.76 seconds, and Johann Schlothofer of SV Lindenau 1848 finished in 37th place in the short sprints with a time of 10.86 seconds.
Fritz Stubenrauch from SC DHfK finished in 20th place in the 5000 meters with a time of 14:34.29 minutes, and Anna-Maria Hofmann of SG MoGoNo finished in 20th place in the 400m with a time of 55.32 seconds.
After winning the gold medal, Farken flew to Munich for a meeting and then returned to Boulder, Colorado, where he has been part of the US training group led by head coach Dathan Ritzenhein for about seven months. Farken plans to continue his career as a runner, aiming to build on his recent success and break even more records in the future.
Robert Farken, following his impressive gold medal win and personal best at the German Athletics Championships, has set his sights on more sports achievements, aiming to break even more records as he continues his career as a runner. Additionally, the dynamism of the 4x100 meters relay team from SC DHfK, despite finishing in sixth place, showcased exciting potential in the field of sports.
