Image: APA
For years, Austria’s track and field athletes had hardly anything to order over the 400 meters in the top class. But with Susanne Gogl-Walli, a new era began some time ago. The woman from Linz is also showing impressively at the European Indoor Championships in Istanbul these days.
After her victory there in the preliminary heat, the 26-year-old, who is married to professional cyclist Michael Gogl, also made it into the medal decision of the top six on Saturday (6.30 p.m., live on ORF Sport+) with second place in her semifinals. She fulfilled the personal marching requirement to the point.
Gogl-Walli, already an Olympic semi-finalist in 2021 in Tokyo over the stadium lap, ran on the outside track in the semi-finals and after the first lap clung to the Dutch world record holder and top favorite Femke Bol, who started next to her.
The athlete from the TGW Zehnkampf-Union confidently defended her second place, finished in 52.40 seconds behind Bol (52.19) and clearly ahead of the third-placed Czech Tereza Petrzilkova (52.93) and with the fifth fastest time overall.
“I’m just overjoyed, everything we dreamed of and planned has worked out, I’m enjoying it a lot,” said Gogl-Walli after her dream run.
In the run-up in the morning she had already set the second-best time of her career in 52.34 seconds and missed her personal record by only 17 hundredths. Now the former Junior World Championships finalist wants to join forces again for her first final sprint on the big international stage.
“In the final there are definitely four other runners who have an extremely high level. So I’m not speculating on a medal, but I’ll do my best,” said Gogl-Walli. Coach Wolfgang Adler added: “The European Championships are already a great success for Susanne.”
Sprinter Markus Fuchs will start in the European Championships on Saturday and advance to the semi-finals is possible. Magdalena Lindner, on the other hand, was eliminated in the “Ataköy Arena” over 60 m. She missed a 30th overall in 7.44 seconds. the rise by only six hundredths.
Source: Nachrichten
