Miriam Dattke, Domenika Mayer and Deborah Schoneborn win the team classification, which is integrated into a European Championship for the first time. It would almost have even been enough for an individual medal.
The German marathon runners won the gold medal in the team competition at the European Championships in Munich. Miriam Dattke (4th place), Domenika Mayer (6th place) and Deborah Schöneborn (10th place) came out on top in the first track and field events at the European Championships. Aleksandra Lisowska from Poland secured the European title in the individual race.
The team decision was integrated into a European championship for the first time in the Bavarian state capital. The best three starters per nation were included in the ranking, the trio with Dattke, Mayer, Schöneborn gave the German Athletics Association (DLV) the hoped-for sense of achievement at the start of the European Championships at home.
It was almost enough for an individual medal. Dattke had to admit defeat to Nienke Brinkman from the Netherlands, who won bronze, in a thrilling decision on the home stretch. Silver went to Matea Parlov Kostro from Croatia.
But no heat race
In the run-up to the race there had been concerns about a possible heat race. Because temperatures above 30 degrees were initially to be feared, numerous runners had asked for the start time to be moved to the early hours of the morning. The organizers did not comply with the request last Friday with reference to the short-term forecasts.
In fact, it was 21 degrees at the start of the women’s race at 10.30 a.m. The sky over Munich, where four laps through the city center had to be completed, was overcast. However, humid conditions with high humidity prevailed, which made the race difficult for the athletes.