Endurance was required on this first day of competition at the European Athletics Championships in Munich.

The final decision was made shortly before 10:30 in the evening after 25 laps had to be completed on the red track: 10,000 meters for women.

Achim Dreis

sports editor.

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It was not the triumph that Konstanze Klosterhalfen had hoped for.

After a strong start, she finished fourth.

Gold went to Turkey's Yasemin Can, who triumphed in 30:32.57 minutes, followed by Briton Eilish McColgan (30:41.05) who won silver ahead of Israel's Lonah Salpeter (30:46.37).

Konstanze Klosterhalfen, with a personal best time of the season of 31:05.21 minutes, remained in the position that is commonly described as thankless.

"I had imagined it a bit differently," she said afterwards on ZDF and admitted to being a little disappointed.

At 9:48 p.m. sharp, 18 slim runners started this long progression run in the historic 1972 Olympic Stadium.

Two German runners were also in the race – in addition to Klosterhalfen, there was also Alina Reh, who finished eighth (32:14.02).

In the initially dense field of long-distance runners, Klosterhalfen, who is 1.74 meters tall and weighs 48 kilos, stood out from the start.

Not only thanks to her bright yellow shoes.

She greeted her audience with a beaming smile and happily waving – and the audience returned with frenetic applause.

A false start as an overture, that doesn't happen every day over this long distance.

The "nervous racehorses" were all cautioned and off we went.

First up were the two Brits Jessica Judd and Eilish McColgan, followed by Klosterhalfen in the yellow jersey with start number 448.

After four initially leisurely laps, the field split up for the first time, eight had to give up, ten stayed in front.

Klosterhalfen tactically clever in third position.

Two more laps later, the next gap opened up.

Alina Reh was also unable to follow.

In addition to Klosterhalfen and the two Britons, Yasemin Can and Lonah Salpeter were also up front.

In the course of the evening, the play of colors under the timelessly beautiful tent roof ranged from Bavarian blue-white to menacing gray-violet to bright pink-afterglow.

But the weather held - the announced rain did not fall, but instead.

Klosterhalfen had made itself rare

Konstanze Klosterhalfen had been rare in Germany in the recent past and was seen as a phantom of the racetrack.

Since the 25-year-old has been training with her outfitter Nike in Portland, the Rhinelander has been viewed with a critical eye in this country.

However, she herself does not feel alienated from her homeland, as she said before the European Championship.

You will always be welcomed with open arms in Germany.

For that she is very grateful.

And this connection to the German audience was also noticeable over the course of the 25 laps in the Olympic Stadium.

At the World Championships in Eugene in July, the multiple German record holder, who holds five national bests between one mile and 10,000 meters, was eliminated over 5,000 meters in the lead - albeit weakened by Corona.

This time she kept up well for a long time - but in the end it wasn't quite enough.

McColgan, Can, Klosterhalfen, Saltpeter.

These four emerged as medal candidates after almost a quarter of an hour.

Six laps before the end, Can then dared to make the decisive push and fled to the front.

The rest had to leave their ground.

And Klosterhalfen got into trouble and fell back a bit.

"Unfortunately, I couldn't keep up with the pace increase," she later said.

Konstanze Klosterhalfen also wants to compete in the 5000 meters at this European Championship.

In 2019 in Doha she had already won World Cup bronze over the twelve and a half rounds - her greatest international success to date.

She always wanted to try a double start, she said before the European Championship.

In front of a home crowd is a good time.

A start has been made.

The last little bit may follow on Thursday from 9:25 p.m.

Even then, perseverance will be required.