© AFP
Vera Hoffmann faced a challenging yet pivotal moment as the final athlete from the Luxembourg delegation made her Olympic debut in the 1,500m qualifiers on Tuesday morning, failing to secure a spot in the next round, now only reachable via the repechage on Wednesday.
At 10.05am on Tuesday, Vera Hoffmann ran in the first heat of the 1,500m qualifiers, making her the last athlete from the Luxembourg delegation to step on the Olympic stage in Paris. Hoffmann ranked 12th after finishing the race in four minutes, seven seconds, and 64 hundredths, meaning that she missed out on a direct qualification for the next round and will have one last chance to secure a spot via the repechage on Wednesday.
The 27-year-old had qualified for the Olympics via the world ranking as one of 15 athletes after several decent results in the run-up to the Games, the first in her career.
Speaking to RTL ahead of the race, Hoffmann underlined that she did everything she could to ensure that she would be healthy and in the best possible shape by the time she hits the Olympic track: "This really was the basic requirement, and I want to be able to look back on my race and be satisfied with what I've done. It is difficult to predict a time and a ranking."
Eight of Hoffmann's 14 rivals had previously managed to run the 1,500m in under four minutes. Hoffmann's national record this season stands at four minutes, five seconds, and 92 hundredths.
Bob Bertemes, who is both Hoffmann's partner and trainer, acknowledged the difficult task ahead for the Olympic debutant. Speaking to RTL before the race, he explained that since only the first six athletes qualify directly for the next round, a participation in the repechage would be likely.
