Two Golds and a Bronze for Chemnitz Students at the 2021 German Indoor Track and Field Championships
Successful Partner University of Elite Sports: Max Heß and Corinna Schwab won the championship title in their disciplines in Dortmund, Maria Purtsa secured third place
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Two gold, one bronze: At the 68th German Indoor Track and Field Championships (DHM) in Dortmund, (pictured from left) Corinna Schwab took gold in the 400 meters, Maria Purtsa bronze in the triple jump and Max Heß also gold in the triple jump. Photos/Montage: private (Maria Purtsa/Corinna Schwab) and dlv_online (Instagram)/Jacob Müller
Two gold, one bronze, and two new personal best performances - these are the medal results from three top athletes at Chemnitz University of Technology at the German Athletics Association e. V.’s 68th German Athletics Indoor Championships (DHM). The DHM took place on 20 and 21 February 2021 in Dortmund. Here, Max Heß took gold in the triple jump with 17.00 meters. Corinna Schwab also secured gold in the 400 meters with 52.01 seconds and achieved a new personal best indoor time. Maria Purtsa reached 13.67 meters in the triple jump. With this she took bronze and also achieved a personal best in the indoor arena. Rebekka Haase took 4th place in the 60-meter sprint, while shot-putter Sarah Schmidt finished 5th with her throw of 16.92 meters.
Corinna Schwab successfully defends title and sets new personal best
On 21 February 2021, the final of the women's 400-meter sprint took place. Corinna Schwab of LAC Erdgas Chemnitz once again secured gold. With a new personal indoor best of 52.01 seconds, the 21-year-old economics student also defended her indoor title from the previous year. "Of course, only the title counted for me. But these are the championships and the cards are reshuffled, so I started here at zero. But I knew that I would be in a good mood if I ran my race. That I will also run a good time," says Corinna Schwab about her success.
Maria Purtsa secures bronze and also a new best indoor performance
After missing the indoor podium in 2020, Maria Purtsa, who studies psychology at Chemnitz University of Technology, won 3rd place. She took bronze with a distance of 13.67 meters. Purtsa just missed silver, as she and runner-up Jessie Maduka jumped the same distance, after which the second-best attempt decides. Here Maduka prevailed. Regardless of this, Purtsa from LAC Erdgas Chemnitz also increased her indoor best with this result, after she had already won gold and her first outdoor German championship title in Braunschweig in 2020.
About her success Purtsa says: "I am very happy about the result and the bronze medal. Coming from an injury, I didn't expect it and I'm even more happy that I improved my best by 21 centimeters. I am super thankful that competitions can take place at all under the current circumstances and in view of the summer, the indoor competition is a good opportunity to test what you still need to work on. Honestly, I'm starting to miss the spectators a lot, as I enjoy sharing successes with others."
Max Heß achieves gold in triple jump
After having to sit the DHM out in 2020 due to injury, Max Heß, who is studying industrial engineering at Chemnitz University of Technology, is now making a successful return to the indoor arena after his gold success in Braunschweig in 2020 (https://www.tu-chemnitz.de/tu/pressestelle/aktuell/10273/en). With a precision landing at 17 meters, the athlete from LAC Erdgas Chemnitz won gold in the triple jump for the fifth time on February 20, 2021.
Commenting on his success, Max Heß says: "The competition went very well: started badly and finished very well. In the penultimate attempt, there were already indications that it could go in the direction of 17 meters. I would have been happy with 16.80 meters. To make 17 meters in the last jump is a great confirmation."
Sprinter Rebekka Haase and shot putter Sarah Schmidt miss the podium
Rebekka Haase narrowly missed the bronze medal with a time of 7.25 seconds at 60 meters. Haase is also studying psychology at Chemnitz University of Technology. Shot-putter Sarah Schmidt, who is studying medical engineering at Chemnitz University of Technology, also failed to make it onto the podium. With her throw of 16.92 meters, she reached 5th place.
Background: Chemnitz University of Technology is a Partner University of Elite Sports
Combining studies and sports is a challenge for many athletes at the highest level. With the initiative Partner University of Elite Sports, Chemnitz University of Technology in cooperation with the Olympic Training Center Chemnitz/Dresden and the General German University Sports Association (adh) offers top athletes many opportunities to be able to shape their academic and athletic careers in harmony. This includes flexible schedules, individually coordinated submission and examination dates as well as the introduction of vacation semesters as “championship semesters.”
Additional information about Chemnitz University of Technology as a partner university of elite sports: https://www.tu-chemnitz.de/usz/partnerhochschulen.php
Multimedia: The online portal leichtathletik.de (German) features an article about Max Heß's 17-meter jump.
In episode 32 of TUCtalk, university student and competitive athlete Maria Purtsa talks about what fascinates her about the triple jump, why the university is ideal for combining sports and studies, and what her future plans are.
In episode 22 of TUCtalk, Rebekka Haase told us, among other things, how she balances her studies and sports, how the university's elite athlete program supports her in this, and how she envisions her life after sports.
The current issue of TUCreport (pp. 27-28) also features reports on student achievements in elite sports.
(Author: Matthias Fejes / Katharina Körner / Translation: Chelsea Burris)
Matthias Fejes
23.02.2021
