The Olympic train leaves on Tuesday evening. The last chance meeting is rising in Lucerne. Blick says who has to tremble for the qualification for Tokyo.
Those who dream of the Olympics don’t just have to be able to run fast, jump high or throw far. But also … calculate!
“In my next life I’ll be studying mathematics at ETH,” jokes a Swiss athletics insider to Blick. Reason: For those athletes who do not crack the Olympic limits directly, there is a new qualification path via the World Ranking of the World Athletics Federation.
That makes things complicated: the deadline expires on Tuesday evening, the latest ranking is from last week. Anyone who is still on the brink has to find out for themselves whether it is enough or not. In a global sport like athletics, where a hurdle sprint result recorded late in Cuba can throw everything upside down, it is anything but easy to calculate whether an exploit will have to come about at the last chance meeting on Tuesday evening in Lucerne.
Blick says who is still trembling and who has to deliver in Lucerne:
Alex Wilson (30): The Swiss record sprinter has the Olympic qualification in the bag over 200 m. But not over 100 m, where rival Silvan Wicki with the championship title on the weekend should have bought the Olympic ticket. Wilson will start on Tuesday in Lucerne not only in the main program over 100 and 200 m, but also in the preliminary program over 100 m. “I’m still a bit rusty after my forced break,” says Wilson, who paused before the SM. “Now I just need a few races to get back in shape.” In Lucerne he wants to “run more aggressively” than before. The 100 m qualification is not in the foreground, “but the gathering of racing experience that I still lack this season”.
Ricky Petrucciani (20): The Ticino 400 m runner achieved a new personal best at the SM with 45.69 and one hand on the Olympic ticket. He starts in Lucerne to secure his position.
Yasmin Giger (21): The 400 m hurdler also has good prospects after her 2nd place at the SM. The same applies to them in Lucerne: Defend your position!
Ditaji Kambundji (19): With another strong performance, the newly crowned Swiss champion over 100 m hurdles could still solve the Tokyo ticket. On Sunday she suffered a foot injury at the SM, but will grit her teeth in Lucerne and go to the start. It will be even harder for Noemi Zbären (27) to qualify.
Hurdle sprinter Jason Joseph should have fixed the qualification at the weekend, he will not start on Tuesday. William Reais (22) has his hands completely tied . The Bündner is just outside the qualifying ranks for over 200 m, but falls out of the game. He has to hope for Olympic cancellations. It could also be tight for Sarah Atcho (26) : The 200 m sprinter does not get up to speed and keeps slipping.