Lea Smit and Gabriel Monien: Sprinters shine in Pfungstadt!

Lea Smit and Gabriel Monien: Sprinters shine in Pfungstadt!

The Merck running gala in Pfungstadt last Saturday set a sporting highlight for 2025. The two athletes Lea Smit and Gabriel Monien from DSC Oldenburg have qualified for the upcoming U-23 athletics championships over 1500 meters. [NWZ Online]. Pfungstadt attracted both national and international participants, which underlines the high attractiveness of the competition.

After a somewhat bumpy run in which Smit and Monien narrowly missed the standard for the U-23 DM at the Whitsun Sports Festival in Zeven, they showed what they were made of in Pfungstadt. Lea Smit ran the course in 4:45.09 minutes, her second fastest time over 1500 meters, exceeding the required standard for the championships of 4:48.00 minutes. Gabriel Monien, who had struggled with calf problems in the previous weeks, was able to shine again in Pfungstadt. With a time of 3:55.90 minutes, he ran his third best performance at this distance and also secured his ticket to the U-23 DM with a required standard of 3:57.50 minutes.

Heading into the championships with enthusiasm

The U-23 and U-16 championships will be held in Ulm from July 4th to 6th. The two athletes are well prepared and can prepare for an exciting weekend of competition. Monien, who covered the first 1000 meters in under 2:40 minutes, predicts: “I am ready to give my best.”

Another highlight of the running gala was the remarkable performance of Alexander Stepanov from VfL Sindelfingen, who achieved the best German time over 800 meters in over 20 years with 1:44.17 minutes. Jan de Vries, a former DSC U-23 runner, was also impressive with a time of 1:55.98 minutes and was only just behind his best time.

Attractive general conditions

The event, which was registered as a World Ranking Competition, also offered optimal conditions. Electronic timekeeping was used and the sports facility had a high-quality synthetic surface that ensured the best running comfort. Food was also provided and participants were able to stay in the area at the Hotel Rheinischer Hof at reduced prices.

For future athletes who also want to take part in the competition, it is worth keeping an eye on the minimum performance requirements. These were, among other things, set at 2:35.00 minutes for the U18 female youth in the 800-meter run and 2:00.00 minutes for the men. The event was organized by the TSV Pfungstadt athletics department, and all competitions took place under the supervision of the DLV.

Overall, the Merck Running Gala was a complete success and not only offers an exciting insight into German athletics, but also an excellent opportunity for athletes to prepare for the national championships. If you would like to find out more about the participants' performances, you can find further information on the bestenliste.