© JOHN THYS / AFP
Despite finishing 10th in his World Championships debut, Luxembourgish athlete Ruben Querinjean said he is "taking a lot away from this experience" after a tactically demanding race in Tokyo exposed areas for future improvement.
Luxembourgish athlete Ruben Querinjean gained valuable experience at his first World Championships last Saturday and Monday, finishing 10th in the 3,000m steeplechase in Tokyo.
In a post-race interview with our colleagues from RTL Télé, Querinjean described the unique tactical challenge of competing at this level. He noted that the race dynamics are difficult to manage, as athletes often wait for the Olympic champion to make a decisive move. "We wait, wait, wait... which made the race relatively slow, but also very stressful", he explained.
In his analysis, Querinjean identified areas for improvement, stating he ran too much in the outside lane and launched his final kick too early with 500m remaining. He believes waiting until the 300m mark – as the eventual winner did – would have been more effective. "I tried to follow but had no energy left at the water jump. So I miscalculated, but that's alright – I'm taking a lot away from this experience", he said.
Despite these tactical errors, Querinjean drew a positive conclusion from his performance. He described the race as physically demanding due to heat and high humidity, compounded by muscle strain from the qualifying round. "I was tired, but I was surprisingly pleased with how my body responded", he stated, attributing his late-race difficulty to strategy rather than fitness. For him, the key takeaway was proving he could handle two high-level races in quick succession.
Looking ahead, Querinjean remains ambitious and sees significant potential for growth, particularly in his technical execution. He believes refining his technique will lead to greater efficiency, saving both time and energy during races.
A key focus will be improving his speed over 500m. "I still see great potential there", Querinjean stated, referencing his personal best of 3:34 for the 1500m as evidence that faster times are achievable.
He concluded by emphasising the enduring importance of foundational training. "Endurance remains a key issue", he noted, confirming that it will be a primary focus of his upcoming winter training regimen.
