Patrizia van der Weken came agonisingly close to a medal at the 2024 European Championships in Rome, finishing fourth in the 100m final –missing bronze by just one hundredth of a second. With that disappointment fuelling her motivation, the Luxembourgish sprinter is now laser-focused on going one better when she lines up in Birmingham next week.
Her preparations for the Championships have seen highs and lows. At the Luxembourg national championships in late July, van der Weken did not hit her fastest times, clocking 11.19 seconds in the 100m heats and winning the final in 11.22 seconds. Despite these results, she remains confident about her form heading into the European stage.
The national championships presented unusual conditions outside her usual training environment, and the weather was far from ideal. Nevertheless, van der Weken knows she is capable of running in the region of her personal best, 11 seconds flat, up to 11.10 seconds. The early season provided encouraging signs, with strong performances on the Diamond League circuit, including 11.08 seconds in Rabat at the end of May and an impressive 11.05 seconds in Stockholm in June.
In recent weeks, training has been the main focus, although her routine required some adjustments due to minor setbacks. Van der Weken's consistent performances throughout the season, and her current world ranking of 14th in the 100m, have earned her a significant advantage in Birmingham: she will bypass the preliminary rounds and start directly in the semi-finals on Monday, 10 August.
Yet, the season does not end with the European Championships. More Diamond League meetings are still on the calendar, culminating in the grand final in Brussels in early September.
According to her coach, the outcome in Birmingham will shape plans for the weeks ahead. Depending on her results, there is a possibility the season could be cut short to allow for a greater focus on training, although any decision will await the conclusion of the European Championships.
The semi-finals of the women's 100m are scheduled for Monday, with the first race at 9.10pm Luxembourg time, followed by the final at 10.50pm.
