World Championships in Athletics
Geher Linke with German record fifth over 35 kilometers
Christopher Linke (r) and Karl Junghannß took fifth and ninth place at the World Championships over the 35-kilometer walk. photo
© Sven Hoppe/dpa
For a long time, experienced walker Christopher Linke has been in the running for a medal at the World Championships in Budapest. In the final phase, however, he falls behind.
Also walkers Christopher Linke was not able to provide the first German medal at the World Championships in Athletics in Budapest.
The 34-year-old from Potsdam finished fifth over 35 kilometers after being fifth over 20 kilometers. Linke also set a German record this time in 2:25:35 hours.
Junghannß strong ninth
The title went to 20K World Champion Álvaro Martín of Spain (2:24:30) ahead of Brian Daniel Pintado of Ecuador, who finished just four seconds later, and last year’s World Championship runner-up Masatora Kawano of Japan. Karl Junghannß came in ninth, Carl Dohmann was far behind early on and gave up the race.
The German team co-captain Linke had hoped for his second international medal after silver at the European Championships over 35 kilometers a year ago in Munich. The last time Andreas Erm won a German World Cup medal in walking was 20 years ago over the no longer held 50 kilometers. Left coach Ronald Weigel was even the first world champion over this distance in 1983.
Linke was in the leading group from the start, Junghannß joined the leaders. The Frenchman Aurélien Quinion was the first to pull away and after 20 kilometers was half a minute ahead of his pursuers with Linke and Junghannß. The Thuringian could then no longer follow. Six kilometers from the finish, Quinion was caught again. At the beginning of the last three laps, Martín picked up the pace, Linke couldn’t keep up and was 65 seconds behind at the finish.
The external conditions were difficult despite the early start time at 7.00 a.m., although the circuit with start and finish at Heldenplatz was partly in the shade. But at the start it was already 22 degrees with around 90 percent humidity. Under the cloudless sky, the athletes tried to cool down with water, sponges and ice as best they could.