GERMAN MEETING: DÜSSELDORF – PSD Bank Meeting fabulous in sprints and jumps: World silver medallist Cindy Roleder meets fast competitors – Duesseldorf receives German triple jump aces

The total outsider of the World Championship final had gained silver with an astonishing burst of energy. The 26-year-old’s rejoicing after “the race of my life” knew no limitation – after all no German 100m hurdler had won a World medal for 28 years!

The athletic fans may look forward to welcome a World runner-up at the PSD Bank Meeting at Arena Sportpark in Duesseldorf on February 3.

Her appearance in the capital of North-Rhine Westphalia will be Cindy Roleder’s first start at a major meeting in 2016, and she will meet an old acquaintance – Alina Talay. The Belorussian beat her into second place in the final of the 60m hurdles in 7.96 to 8.04 seconds at the 2015 PSD Bank Meeting. In the most important race of the year, however, the German took revenge and left only bronze to Alina Talay in the World Championship final.   

It is not just Alina Talay who wants to prevent Roleder’s victory. The spectators should watch out for a very fast British duo. Lucy Haton (7.90sec) and Serita Salomon (7.92sec) won silver and bronze ahead of Cindy Roleder (7.93sec) at the 2015 European Indoor Championships in Prague. A further competitor: reigning World indoor champion Nia Ali.  

2015 was completely different for German triple jumper Kristin Gierisch. She improved her indoor and outdoor personal bests clearly and has now arrived among the world’s top with 14.46 metres. She has good memories of the PSD Bank Meeting anyway, as the 25-year-old was victorious with 14.30m last year.

That mark is exactly the qualifying norm for the World Indoor Championships, to take place in Portland, USA, in mid-March.  Gierisch’s 16 centimetres improvement followed a few weeks later at the European Indoor Championships in Prague when she finished fourth.

She missed the German indoor record, set by Katja Demut five years ago at the PSD Bank Meeting in Duesseldorf, by just one centimetre. Traditionally the local triple jumpers of ART Duesseldorf will also compete.

But in the choice field Eva Linnenbaum’s and Lena Flessner’s aim is not victory but a jump towards their personal best. 

Spurce: PSD Bank Meeting Düsseldorf