Austria's team line-up for Munich
With a total of nine athletes who comply with the standards the European Championships team of Austria, a small nation in terms of track & field athletics, has been named at this early stage of the season in preparation for the continental finals to be held in Munich from 6 to 11 August.
Stephanie Graf (Foto: Chai)
The silver medal winners of the indoor European Championships in Vienna, Stephanie Graf (800m), Elmar Lichtenegger (110m hurdles) and Karin Mayr (200m), are top of the list as the main pillars of hope. Stephanie Graf, in particular, will be especially motivated in the Munich Olympic Stadium at the beginning of August to settle the score from March with the Slovenian indoor world record holder Jolanda Ceplak and to finally win a major title: "Silver medals are a thing of the past." By contrast, Elmar Lichtenegger and Karin Mayr will already give an insight into their current standard of performance on German soil at the Sparkassen German Athletic Association Meeting (DLV) on 8 June in Dortmund.Michael Buchleitner (marathon), Gregor Högler (javelin), Martin Pröll (hurdles), Doris Auer (pole vault), Valentina Fedjuschina (shot put) and Susanne Pumper (10 000 m) are further contestants who have already booked their ticket to the European Championships in Munich.
At the indoor European Championships held in their home country in spring, Austria finally took part with a team of 35 athletes. The team for Munich will probably be somewhat smaller. Out of the small group of the seven World Championships contestants at Edmonton the decathlete, Klaus Ambrosch, must still prove his ability. He will have his chance on 1 and 2 June when the standards for the European Championships are set in Götzis.
