After 36 days away from competition, Patrizia van der Weken returned to the track at the National Championships in Fetschenhof following an intense start to the season, which included several appearances on the prestigious Diamond League circuit. The break allowed Luxembourg's leading sprinter to focus on training and fine-tuning key aspects of her performance.
She clocked 11.19 seconds in the heats before winning the final in 11.22 seconds. Although both times were well short of her personal best and national record of 11.00 seconds, the sprinter said she was encouraged by her progress.
Van der Weken admitted she had been dealing with a few issues in recent weeks but said the training block had paid off. "It's gradually getting better", she said, adding that she was pleased with what she had shown on her return.
Conditions at the Fetschenhof track were far from ideal, however. Strong winds, a frequent feature at the venue, affected performances throughout the day.
She explained that the wind conditions constantly changed during the races, with headwinds making the final particularly difficult. "That definitely makes a difference", she said.
Coach Arnaud Starck also struck an optimistic tone, although he said the athlete is not yet back to her very best. He said the situation was being managed well despite a few minor physical issues that were still holding her back slightly.
While Van der Weken was not yet completely free mentally to run at full capacity, he believes she is "moving in the right direction".
The women's 1,500m produced another impressive performance from Vera Bertemes-Hoffmann. The athlete from Celtic Diekirch led the race from start to finish, crossing the line in 4:12.04.
Given the windy conditions, it was an excellent time, although it was not enough to secure automatic qualification for the European Championships. Bertemes-Hoffmann remains hopeful of receiving a place through the rankings.
She said she currently sits just outside the qualifying places but already knows of several athletes who are expected to withdraw. At the same time, she acknowledged that other runners could still improve their rankings before the qualification period closed, meaning the final outcome would only become clear in the coming days.
The qualification window closed on Sunday, with confirmation expected this week on whether Bertemes-Hoffmann will join Patrizia van der Weken in representing Luxembourg at the European Championships in Birmingham.
