European Athletics Championships

Gogl-Walli finishes 7th in the 400 m final

Susanne Gogl-Walli

(Bild: Thomas Windedstam )

Susanne Gogl-Walli finished seventh in the 400 m final in 51.23 seconds at the European Athletics Championships in Rome after a strong fight on the home straight. "I'm very happy with that. There was hardly any more possible on the indoor track. My timetable for the Olympics in Paris is right!"

For the first time in her already impressive career, the 28-year-old Austrian had also reached a final in the 400 m at a major championship in the outdoor season. "That alone was incredible," she said happily after reaching the final. "At least I'm eighth!" The athlete from Linz, known as a great fighter, still managed to improve to seventh place.

The European champion was Natalia Kaczmarek from Poland in a world best time of 48.98 seconds. "I have huge respect for her! The final was extremely fast anyway. I stayed within my capabilities. It was a well-rounded run. I'm leaving this European Championships in Rome with a very positive feeling," she said, "there are still eight weeks until the Games, I'm not in top form yet." But if everything goes well, she will run her season's best time in Paris. In recent years, her coach Wolfi Adler has always managed to get Susi Gogl-Walli to the start line in top condition.

In the 90-year history of the European Athletics Championships, the athlete from Linz had secured only the fourth ÖLV final place in the women's 400m. Before her, Maria Sykora had twice achieved top results in 1969 as third and 1971 as fourth as well as Karoline Käfer here in Rome 50 years ago as sixth.

Susanne Gogl-Walli also continued the ÖLV's run of success in Rome. There are already four top ten places. At the top, of course, silver by discus thrower Lukas Weißhaidinger, then seventh place for herself, ninth place for the men's team in the half marathon and tenth place for hurdles sprinter Kartin Strametz.