Sprinter Gina Lückenkemper claims to have experienced massive insults and hostility on social media in recent years.
"The worst thing was that in society, someone who was on the ground was more likely to be stepped on than a helping hand came," said the athlete on ZDF's "Aktuelles Sportstudio" about the past two years in which she was with sporting setbacks and injuries.
"Social media is both a curse and a blessing, it was a curse for me two years ago," reported the 25-year-old.
She "simply had to take insults".
"From people who have no idea what I'm investing in the sport and who wanted to tell me that I can't do anything." They were shocked by "how quickly everyone wrote them off.
It went so fast, faster than I can walk.
That was awesome.” In the meantime, she is focusing more on her “great environment”.
Lückenkemper lets the results speak for themselves
According to Lückenkemper, the criticism was also an incentive.
"Definitely, 100 percent," said the 2018 European Championship runner-up for SCC Berlin. At the German Championships in Berlin on Saturday, the Westphalian had over 100 meters ahead of Rebekka Haase from Wetzlar (11.20 seconds) and Yasmin Kwadwo ( 11.44 seconds) in a strong 10.99 seconds.
She was only four hundredths of a second faster than her personal best.
It was "very, very nice" to break the 11-second mark, she said.
"But for me it was something I thought was possible all along."
Defending champion Alexandra Burghardt – silver medalist in bobsleigh at the Olympic Winter Games in Beijing – had decided not to start.
Former champion Tatjana Pinto did not compete in the final.
Owen Ansah from Hamburger SV stormed to the men's title for the first time in 10.09 seconds.
Last year, Ansah had prevailed over 200 meters.
Julian Wagner came second in 10.12 seconds ahead of Lucas Ansah-Peprah, also running for HSV, who needed 10.17 seconds.
Former champion Kevin Kranz ran just short of the medals in fourth in 10.21 seconds.