Olympics 2021: Strong Christopher Linke walks just past medal

Christopher Linke has narrowly missed the first medal of a German gatherer for 29 years at the Olympic Games of Tokyo. The 32-year-old gathered in Sapporo over 20 km after a very strong second half of the race as five years ago in Rio the fifth place.

"It was a greater heat shaft than hoped or thought. But I'm a heat type and good at heat," Left said in ZDF: "As 50. I've arrived. Now I'm fifth. Of course, I still dream of a medal, But after the difficult year, I am very satisfied now. "

Gold secured himself in the city of the 1972 Olympic Winter Games at pressing heat Surprisingly the Italian Massimo Stano in 1:21:05 hours before the Japanese Koki Ikeda (1:21:14). World Champion Toshikazu Yamanishi, also from Japan, bronze (1:21:28).

The Potsdamer Left (1:21:50) ultimately missed 22 seconds to win the first precious metal since the third place of today's national coach Ronald Weigel in 1992 in Barcelona over 50 km. Nevertheless, the World Cup fourth went cheering about the finish line.

A few thousand spectators who pursued the competition on the track due to the looser Corona regulations on the northern main island Hokkaido, Left, in the face of the heat, went to the race planned defensively.

Half of the distance, he was in place 19. "But I could bite out right behind. I would like to thank my mental trainer," Left said. Leo Köpp (Berlin) came in place 22 (+3: 41 minutes), Nils Brembach (Potsdam) Holte 28 (+5: 40).

The competitions of the donors and marathon runners had been relocated to the usually milder Sapporo after protests. The measure only brought little relief. While the thermometer in the capital showed up to 36 degrees on Thursday, it was in Sapporo 33 - with considerable humidity.

Articles and videos about the topic

• Screw for silver: "Max is like a textbook"
• Experience top sport live on Dazn. Get your free month now!

After the heat battle of the 2019 World Cup in Tokyo, it is for the walkers where it goes on the night of Friday (start 22.30 mesz) over 50 km, the next title struggles under extreme conditions.