On Your Mark, Get Set, Go!

FORUM: Felix, it’s been around a month since you got back from China. How was the experience for you? 

Frühn: The two weeks in China were simply amazing. I made several new friends and you could feel the team spirit every day. That included on the trip back — it’s more fun traveling as a big group than by yourself, as you have people to talk to and can have some great conversations. We had a fantastic time in China. We supported each other throughout the competitions and enjoyed the Olympic atmosphere in the athletes’ village and at the venues. The games were bookended by spectacular opening and closing ceremonies. It was my first time in China, and I hadn’t been to Asia before either. I’m very happy we found time for some cultural activities in the athletes’ village and had a chance to explore Chengdu, which is considered one of the most beautiful cities in China. The team also celebrated several birthdays in style (including my own!), which of course was very special. And to round off the very positive picture, the umpires, volunteers, and spectators at the venues were all very friendly too. All in all, the World University Games were an absolutely amazing experience!

FORUM: You set two personal best times in the 100-meter sprint and came sixth in the final. Congratulations on your achievement! Tell us about that special day …

Frühn: Thank you! There was something in the air on the day of the 100-meter final. It was a hot afternoon, and the humidity was high as always, which made it feel even hotter. But I was still raring to go as we drove to the stadium, because after a few days there you get used to the conditions. There were over 17,000 spectators in the stadium that evening, so the cheering was already clearly audible from the warmup area, which helped get me in the mood. I was still a little tight in my semifinal run, when I got a time of 10.30 seconds, but afterwards I was thrilled to discover that was enough to make the finals. The sun set and there was a magical atmosphere in the stadium and in the warmup area. It was my first ever final at an international tournament. Once we’d been introduced to the crowd, we headed to the starting blocks. After the final we had to wait a few minutes inside for the results. I saw 10.25 seconds on the board but it was only after leaving the stadium that it gradually dawned on me that I’d beaten my personal best again. I was very happy and relieved to finally be able to celebrate such a great result after three difficult years affected by injury. 

FORUM: You mentioned that when you were kneeling on the starting blocks in the final, there were 17,000 spectators in the stadium. What goes through your head in that situation?

Frühn: I was full of adrenaline because of the noise in the stadium when we were introduced to the crowd and because I was determined to enjoy every single second in the final. On the starting blocks themselves, I remembered the things I wanted to focus on during the race: Sprint aggressively, be wholly present on the track right from the start, keep my concentration level high. I also wanted to tick off the eligibility requirement for the national squad, which gave me another energy kick on the starting blocks. I could feel the anticipation and positive tension in my whole body, which was very good.

FORUM: Now you’re back at lectures and have resumed your training. What are your next big goals?

Frühn: I’m now in the seventh semester of my Bachelor of Education (French and Spanish), and I’ll probably be writing my thesis this semester. I want to wrap up my degree next summer. We’re currently starting our preparations for the 2023/24 season, when two big events are coming up: the European Athletics Championships in Rome and then of course the Olympics in Paris. My big goal and dream is to qualify for those. I hope I get through the preparations well and injury-free. Apart from that, above all I’m looking forward to the next few months and the upcoming season.

Interview: Jule Leger/September 2023