Here is a quick interview wish Julian Wagner.
Julian Wagner: "In the future I will only concentrate on sports"
Peter Middel
6.58 Seconds. In the very first race of the indoor season! Julian Wagner (LC Topteam Thuringia) made a rapid entry into the competition year 2022 on Saturday in Dortmund and catapulted himself directly to the top of the German leaderboard over 60 meters. And only a few days after completing his training as a mechatronics engineer. The 23-year-old then told us in an interview how he himself classifies his start of the season, how he plans his further career in competitive sports and what goals he has in mind in 2022 and beyond.
Julian Wagner, you entered the indoor season at the PSD Bank Indoor Meeting in Dortmund on Saturday and achieved times of 6.58 seconds in the preliminary and 6.62 seconds in the final. What is your conclusion?
Julian Wagner:
Overall, I am very satisfied with my opening of the hall. I found the many false starts in the lead-up irritating, but I put them away quite well. It's a pity that the start was shot at the first attempt, because I got out of the blocks very well. When it started, everything went great with me. This also expresses my time of 6.58 seconds. Unfortunately, I was stuck at the start in the final. If that hadn't happened to me, I probably would have won the race, and I would have been a few hundredths of a second faster. Nevertheless, I draw a positive balance, because I never thought that I would deliver such fast times right at the start of the season.
How was your winter training so far?
Julian Wagner:
I have trained well with the exception of minor injuries. These complaints were primarily muscular problems. That's why coach Tobias Schneider and I have shifted down a gear in training so as not to risk anything with regard to the big challenges this year. That's why I didn't get into the indoor season until February 12th. In addition, I completed my three-and-a-half-year apprenticeship as a mechatronics technician in January and therefore had to prepare intensively for the exam.
As a mechatronics technician, you will be a sought-after man in the future. Can the profession be reconciled with your competitive sporting ambitions?
Julian Wagner:
I know the great demand for mechatronics engineers. However, I have decided to focus only on sports in the future – as a full-time athlete, so to speak. If I want to make further progress in the sprint, I need professional conditions. So that I can finance my living, I am supported by a sponsor of our association and by the sports aid. After the end of my career in competitive sports, I am firmly convinced that I can quickly enter my professional life, because the need for mechatronics engineers will continue to be high in the future. From this point of view, there is no big risk now.
The German Indoor Championships in Leipzig are just around the corner. What goals have you set for this?
Julian Wagner:
Im would like to win a medal in Leipzig as in the previous year. In 2021 I finished second in 6.58 seconds. My time at Dortmund has shown that this is a realistic goal. Especially the 6.58 seconds from the run-up make me optimistic. Of course, many factors play a role in the 60 meters in the hall, so that surprises are not missing. And I will have strong competitors in Leipzig, so I do not consider myself a favorite. Of course, it would be nice if I won, but I would also be satisfied with a medal.
The World Indoor Championships will be held in Belgrade from 18 to 20 March. Are these title fights an issue for you?
Julian Wagner:
Not at all. After Leipzig I finish the indoor season and start my preparations for the summer. I will then stay with my training group in Kienbaum for two weeks. There we mainly complete a basic training with many runs. In April I will fly to Florida to participate in a training camp of the DLV. I will stay there for three weeks.
The World Cup will be held in Eugene, USA, from July 15 to 24. A short time later, the Home European Championship will be held in Munich from August 11 to 21. Is scheduling a problem for you?
Julian Wagner:
I am pleased that, despite the pandemic, both championships will be held this year. The short time interval is of course a big challenge. I will clearly focus on the Home European Championship, which is the absolute highlight for me this year, without losing sight of the World Cup. The two title fights must be carefully planned and prepared.
What goals have you set for the European Championship and the World Cup?
Julian Wagner:
With the relay, we want to get to the final for everyone at the European Championships. If everything goes according to plan, there may even be a medal in there. I would also like to qualify for the individual race. If I could get into the top 12 or the top 16 there, that would be great. I'm hoping for a time in the range of my best performance of 10.11 seconds. The same goes for the World Cup. For Eugene, it is difficult for me to make forecasts. I'll have to see what happens and I'll try to make the best of it.
Is the 10-second mark even within reach for you this year?
Julian Wagner:
If it happens, then it happens. But I don't put any pressure on myself, because many factors have to be right for a nine before the comma. This year or next year, undercutting the 10-second mark is not a concrete goal for me. But in the long term, I want to fulfill this dream.
Corona is still an issue at the moment – even in sports. The goals you have set for yourself can quickly collapse like a house of cards. How to protect yourself in this situation?
Julian Wagner:
Of course, I take the danger seriously. I try to minimize my contacts. As sprinters, we live in a bubble in Erfurt and minimize our outside contacts. We test ourselves regularly and comply with the generally applicable hygiene and safety regulations. We are in a very good position and did not have to limit our training yet. So far, we have not had a corona case in our training group. I am very satisfied with the situation in Erfurt. This sense of security is very important to me. If we as athletes were always running around with the fear of possibly getting corona, then we would no longer focus on our training or on our competitions. How this affects the level of performance, everyone can imagine.
The most successful Erfurt sprinter so far has been Julian Reus. He has not only the first name in common with them. What is your relationship like?
Julian Wagner:
He is also very good friend of mine. We exchange ideas regularly. He also often visits us during training and gives us tips.
When did you discover your heart for athletics?
Julian Wagner:
At the age of seven, I started playing children's sports in Erfurt. I then got into competitive sports through the sports school, graduated from the Pierre de Coubertin Gymnasium and then completed my training as a mechatronics engineer. At the beginning, I was still playing football at the same time. When my parents then told me to choose a sport, my choice fell on athletics. And I'm incredibly happy that I made such a decision.