Meyer falls shortly before the finish: Gesa Krause writes history: Third European Championship gold in the 3000m steeplechase

Gesa Krause makes history: Third European Championship gold in the 3000m steeplechase

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13.08.2026 | 21:45

This athlete is incredible: Gesa Felicitas Krause wins gold in the 3000m steeplechase at the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham, securing the first title for German athletes. It is Krause's third European Championship title. Lea Meyer leads for a long time - and then falls at the final water jump.

Gesa Krause spread her arms ten meters before the finish line, floated laughing across the line, and then stormed into the curve for a first kiss with her little daughter Lola Emilia. At 34, the steeplechase queen has delivered her masterpiece and won European Championship gold in her signature event for the third time in Birmingham. On a sweltering evening, Krause outclassed everyone with her magic sprint - and pulled teammate Olivia Gürth along to bronze.

"I am incredibly grateful. I don't have to prove anything to anyone anymore. It's fun for me, it's my life," said Krause, who could hardly grasp her sheer happiness - after eight years, the fastest mom in the steeplechase world is once again the queen of Europe: "This gold after eight years is beautiful. I get to hear the anthem again, maybe it's the last time."

In 9:12.69 minutes, the athlete from Trier prevailed ahead of Alice Finot (France/9:14.24) and Gürth (9:15.33). The third German became the unlucky one: Lea Meyer, the fastest in the preliminary heat, fell while clearly on course for a medal at the final water jump and finished fourth (9:17.07).

Meyer falls and reacts annoyed

"That was stupid and silly, but it is what it is," said the visibly annoyed 2024 European Championship silver medalist on ZDF and immediately followed up with a challenge: "At the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, I want to run at the front as the German record holder." The national record is held by Krause - and she also wants to be right up there in L.A.

Previously, Florian Bremm (5000m) had won silver and Yemisi Mabry (shot put) as well as Owen Ansah (100m) had won bronze in Birmingham. Ansah, who was threatened with a four-year ban due to a missed doping test, took a step toward the next medal shortly before Krause's victory on Thursday, qualifying as the fastest in 20.04 seconds for the 200m final on Friday (22:25) - only two hundredths of a second off the German record. "I believe I can win the medal," said Ansah.

That applied even more to Krause. "A medal is the goal, otherwise I would be very disappointed," she had said. A medal as a mother: Krause had already achieved that in Rome in 2024 - her daughter Lola Emilia was born in April 2023.

Krause with a strong final sprint

"It gave me a certain ease for the sport," Krause told the "Frankfurter Rundschau": "If I had a bad training session in the past, the whole day was crap. Now you don't weigh everything on a gold scale anymore." In training, however, the two-time World Championship bronze medalist did not let any ease creep in. "I feel as good as never before," she said.

In the final, the Germans set the pace. Meyer started very quickly, Krause stayed on her heels, and the field was spread out early on. Gürth also stayed in the lead group. After a good two kilometers, the race at the front became a bit slower and thus more tactical.

On the final lap, Krause really turned it on, handled the water jump perfectly unlike Meyer - the rest was lost in sheer joy.