33rd International thallos Runners‘ Meeting on 5 May 2024 at the Schönbuch Stadium in Pliezhausen

At the press conference for the 33rd International thallos Runners‘ Meeting on May 5, 2024, much of the focus was on the importance of the traditional meeting in a changing meeting scene.

As part of the World Athletics Federation’s Continental Tour, Pliezhausen is once again attracting numerous top athletes. Among them are the up-and-coming Rosina Schneider (TV Sulz) and Laura Wilhelm (LAV Stadtwerke Tübingen), who spoke about their start in Pliezhausen and their goals for the season.

Sven Rees, performance sports director of the Baden-Württemberg athletics associations, and meeting director Thomas Jeggle addressed the changed framework conditions from the perspective of athletes and organizers. Christof Dold, mayor of the municipality of Pliezhausen, also addressed these issues and expressed his commitment to the Schönbuchstadion as a meeting location.

The moderator was none other than Olympic champion Dieter Baumann.

„It has been a tradition to open the season in Pliezhausen for 33 years,“ said host Dieter Baumann, welcoming the guests to the Hotel Schönbuch in Pliezhausen. With the delivery of Challenger status by the world federation, the meeting has also been attracting more and more athletes since 2023 who want to collect world ranking points in Schönbuch and increase their chances of qualifying for international championships, reported meeting director Thomas Jeggle, who was surprised by the difficult turnout himself.

Note: There will also be a YouTube-Livestream  in 2024

It is fascinating to see how the initially small meeting has developed to date and what level it has reached. The third Pliezhausen start by Olympic long jump champion Malaika Mihambo (LG Kurpfalz) was one of the highlights that Jeggle emphasised. The middle distances are internationally strong and the obstacles promise an „insane race“ according to Jeggle.

Baden-Württemberg’s talents want to upset the „big boys“

Pliezhausen offers a stage for local athletes and talents in particular. This is why the meeting is also important from an association perspective, emphasised Sven Rees, Performance Sports Director of the Baden-Württemberg Athletics Association.

The goal of Rosina Schneider (TV Sulz) is to upset the „big boys“ a little in the 80m and 150m, before adding a tough test in the 300m. The U20 double European champion caused a sensation in the indoor arena with her first active DM title in the 60m hurdles and would now like to follow this up outdoors.
European Championship standard within Rosina Schneider’s grasp

The 19-year-old is confident that she can run under 13 seconds in the 100m hurdles in the summer, which means that the European Championship standard (12.98 sec) seems within reach. She has fond remembrances of the meeting: Last year, she raced in the 4x100m U20 relay with exactly the same team that would later go on to win European Championship gold.

Laura Wilhelm (LAV Stadtwerke Tübingen) is also one of Baden-Württemberg’s talents who has advanced to the top national level among the active athletes. The multiple German Championship finalist and 800m indoor bronze medallist (2023) „has been competing in Pliezhausen since she could race,“ joked Baumann.

In fact: she has already run 150, 300, 600m and even 300m hurdles at the meeting. In 2024, the 21-year-old is concentrating on the 600m and wants to push her best time there under 1:29 minutes. After that, she is aiming for 2:03 minutes in the 800m.

Source:  INTERNATIONALES thallos LÄUFERMEETING