Gina Lückenkemper overcomes tick bite and illness to finish third at German Championships; Jolina Ernst wins 100m title

Health ordeal

Gina Lückenkemper arrived at the German Championships in Wattenscheid carrying a burden that had built for weeks. After a summer flu, she discovered a tick embedded on the back of her head just before the Diamond League meeting in Paris on 28 June. The bite forced a course of antibiotics and a complete two-week break from training. Speaking after the 100m final on Saturday, the 29-year-old described the toll it took.

“It was really tough. From the heart, no; from the head, in between, yes. The body was far too battered. The nervous system took such a hit. I slept eight hours at night, but I wasn't properly recovered afterwards.”

Balance problems, the result of the infection, compounded her longstanding weakness at the start.

Championships finale

Despite considering withdrawal, Lückenkemper lined up and reached the final. She crossed the line in 11.29 seconds, a performance she later called a relief.

“Incredibly happy to have been on the track for three rounds at all.”

The crown of German 100m champion passed to Jolina Ernst, the 22-year-old local from Wattenscheid who clocked a personal best of 11.26 seconds. The result astonished even the winner herself.

“I myself am probably the most surprised, because I wouldn't have expected it.”

Ernst's run was a hometown high point, though she is not qualified for the individual event at the European Championships. Rebekka Haase, the experienced relay anchor, placed fourth and remains central to German medal ambitions.

European Championships horizon

The indoor focus now shifts to Birmingham, where the European Athletics Championships run from 10 to 16 August. The German women's 4 × 100 m relay has leaned heavily on Lückenkemper and Haase in recent years, and both are needed again. Haase's coach has provided practical support to Lückenkemper during the difficult weeks. Ernst, too, is pushing for a relay spot after her breakthrough title. The brief window between the national championships and the EM offers little recovery time, especially for an athlete still shaking off the remnants of a tick-borne infection.