Laura Lindemann won her next national title in the women’s sprint triathlon. However, the big favorite from Potsdam will make the 2026 final surprisingly exciting.
On the last running route, the 30-year-old athlete enters into an exciting duel with Julia Breker (Lüneburg triathlon team). The two of them broke away ahead of schedule at the five-kilometer distance, and the big favorite for a long time allowed her opponent to run ahead – almost passively.
But just before the goal, Lindemann attacked decisively. Breker can defend herself for a while, but then she will have to realize: she is powerless against this final jerk of the mixed Olympic champion. After 57:16 minutes, Lindemann crossed the finish line. She has time to look around in advance. Two seconds later, Brecker crosses the finish line. Selina Klamt (HYLO Team Saar/Viernheim) took third place, 36 seconds back.
For Lindemann, her racing plan was a complete success. “A week and a half ago I was a little sick. So I decided to be a little tactical while running and use my strengths in the sprint,” she explains at the finish line in an interview with Sportschau – and adds with a grin: “I thought it would be a little more fun.” The close fight with Broecker, who is seven years younger, was “a cool fight” and “was fun.”
Lindemann sails forward on the Steinhuder Meer
This battle began at Steinhuder Meer with a show of Lindemann’s strength. From 10:20 she swims ahead wearing a green swimming cap with number 25. Your worst stalker? Future bronze medalist Klamt. At 10:13, Lindemann emerges first, three seconds ahead.
But after the 750-meter swim, more than just difficulties arose between Lindemann and Klamt. The first 30 athletes are separated by only 42 seconds. And soon there is a big merge on the bike route. There are currently 17 athletes in the top group. There too? Annika Koch (HYLO Team Saarland/Viernheim).
The 2024 German champion and 2025 runner-up, amazingly, emerged from the water just 23 seconds after leader Lindemann and biked her way back. However, in the end, the co-favorite will not be able to compete for medals this morning (1:40 minutes behind, 8th place).
Falling at a 180 degree turn on a bike trail
20 kilometers on a bicycle is not without incident. The fall occurs when turning 180 degrees. Participating in the race are Sarah Walter (Bad Orb), who is expected to finish the race injured, as well as Julia Bodenschatz (SSF Bonn Triathlon) and Kira Ribbink (TSV Mannheim). This breaks up the top group a bit. But when they switch to running, the 13 athletes are still separated by just seven seconds.
They won’t give you anything here. So a name like that means something to me. Getting him was also my goal.
Lindemann and Brecker can now quickly break away. Meanwhile, there is also a duel between Klamt and Juel Behrens (DSW12 Darmstadt) for third place. Bianca Bogen (MD Triathlon Cologne) is also pushing her way up meter by meter.
In the end, Klamt had enough for an exciting competition, the quality of which Lindemann also praised. This is despite last year’s winner Lisa Turch being absent as she races at the Triathlon World Championships in London at the same time. “You have to always be present to be able to produce results so consistently. Nothing is given to you here. So a title like that means something to me. Getting it was also my goal,” Lindemann said.
“Shoe theft” prevented mixed medal
Incidentally, the Potsdam native was indeed on track to win her first medal in the 2026 final on Thursday. At least she herself created ideal conditions for this. In the mixed relay (a relay of four people, two women and two men), she started as the starting runner for the Potsdam triathlon team and performed well. Swimming 275 meters, cycling 7.6 kilometers and running 1.4 kilometers, Jayden Scott Koslik was the first to give up.
However, then the 20-year-old athlete suffered an accident that will go down in multisport history as “shoe theft.” In the transition zone after the swim, he became entangled in the chaos of wheels and accidentally intercepted the kicks of his Darmstadt competitor Louis Rühl.
“It’s very annoying. This is entirely my fault,” Koslik was later to say. This had consequences for their own team: the Potsdam triathlon team was disqualified. The first chance for a medal was also a thing of the past for Lindemann – after two days, her irresistible breakthrough could no longer be stopped.