Gesa Krause won the 2,000-metre steeplechase at the ISTAF Berlin athletics meeting on Sunday, setting a world-leading time despite fatigue from a long season.
The European 3,000-metre steeplechase champion from Dillenburg finished the race in 5:56.79 in front of roughly 40,000 spectators at the Olympiastadion. Her performance marked the fastest time recorded in the world this year for the distance.
Speaking to German broadcaster ARD after the race, Krause said that the competition was hard and that she could feel the toll of a demanding season. However, she added that running in Berlin was always a dream and expressed delight at ending her competition season with a victory.
Olivia Gürth, who won European bronze in the 3,000-metre steeplechase and frequently trains with Krause in Frankfurt, finished second behind her compatriot in 6:02.65.
Emil Agyekum secures 400m hurdles victory
In the men's events, Frankfurt hurdles runner Emil Agyekum fulfilled his role as race favourite by winning the 400-metre hurdles in 48.18 seconds. The 27-year-old comfortably led the field to cap a successful appearance in the German capital.
Owe Fischer-Breiholz took second place with a time of 49.03 seconds. Fischer-Breiholz trains alongside Agyekum at the Königsteiner LV athletics club in Hesse.
Agyekum arrived in Berlin shortly after earning a silver medal at the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham just over two weeks earlier. At those championships, he finished behind Norwegian hurdles star Karsten Warholm.
Background on the ISTAF Berlin meeting
The Internationales Stadionfest, commonly known as ISTAF, is one of the world's oldest track and field meetings, traditionally hosted at Berlin's Olympiastadion. The historic stadium in the German capital regularly hosts major international sporting events and provides athletes with an iconic venue late in the summer season.
Krause specializes in the 3,000-metre steeplechase, an obstacle race combining hurdles and water jumps, but competed over the shorter 2,000-metre distance in Berlin to conclude her track campaign. Her victory at the meeting caps a year highlighted by her gold medal run at the European Championships.
