Stefanie Sindel experienced her career highlight so far at the Masters World Championships

Stefanie Sindel is back home – happy, content and also a little proud. Yes, the 43-year-old from Schrobenhausen can now call herself a World Championship participant. As an athlete, she represented Germany at the highest level. To be more precise, this was the case in Gothenburg, Sweden, where the Masters World Championships were held this year. And Sindel is competing in three distances.

“What terrible stage fright I had before”

“I am still overwhelmed by all the impressions I was able to gather there,” she reports enthusiastically: “It all still feels like a wonderful dream.” One that the Schrobenhausen native had honestly earned in the past months and years, when she had regularly made it to the winner’s podium at national championships in her W40 age group.

So Sindel went to Sweden in the second half of August – with a lot of anticipation in her luggage. And for the first time in her career, she also wore the official “Germany” jersey. Of course, the 43-year-old knew from the start that for her in Gothenburg it was purely about the Olympic spirit (“taking part is everything”), and that winning a medal there was simply utopian for her. But she should still achieve a few respectable placings in the end.

Her first appearance was in the 4×100 meter relay – together with Fenja Kleckner (SV Hanstett), Aurica Gründer (Leichlinger TV) and Eva Schwarz (SSV Ulm). The race took place in the traditional “Slottsskogsvallens Idrottscentrum” – and the German W40 quartet finished tenth in the final ranking, while the heavily favored USA women secured gold. “Oh man, I had such terrible stage fright beforehand,” Sindel remembers with a laugh: “Running on your own is a completely different feeling. When you’re part of a team, you want to do particularly well, you’re extra motivated – but also extra tense.”

Just 24 hours later, the Schrobenhausen native continued with the 200-meter heats. But not for long, because with a time of 28.73 seconds and 23rd place, she quickly reached the end of the line. So what? Her favorite discipline, the 400-meter race, was still to come. Even those who had won bronze in their age group W40 at the three most recent German championships (in Mönchengladbach, Dortmund and Erding). Now, in Gothenburg, the 43-year-old even went one better, completing the stadium lap in just 63.92 seconds – and promptly setting a new personal record! The Schrobenhausen native was unable to qualify for the finals with this either, and instead had to start in 21st position – but anyone who runs faster than ever before at the peak of their career so far has every reason to be extremely proud of themselves.

All that remains is Sindel’s last appearance at the 2024 Masters World Championships in Sweden – as a member of the German 4×400-meter relay team. And here, together with Verena Cerna, Eva Schwarz (both SSV Ulm) and Ulrike Gast (TSG Bergedorf), she managed to run up to fifth place. “No question, that was my personal highlight at these World Championships,” reports the athlete from Schrobenhausen, who competes for MTV Pfaffenhofen. Because it wasn’t just the fact that she was part of this German W40 quartet that was special – Sindel was able to act as team captain and starting runner at the same time.

“Sensationally delicious cinnamon rolls”

As mentioned at the beginning, the 43-year-old has now returned home. After an eventful week and a half in Sweden, during which she found time to get to know a little about the country and its people despite the tight sports schedule. Well, whether the meatballs in Sweden are actually better than in the canteens of the famous furniture giant with the four letters that have now made this national dish famous around the world is something Stindel, as a committed vegetarian, cannot answer. “But I now know very well that Sweden has sensationally delicious cinnamon rolls,” reveals the blonde from Schrobenhausen with a broad grin on her face.

Her 2024 competition year is now almost over. Sindel only wants to compete in the South German and Bavarian all-around championships, which will be held on October 3 in Aichach – in the pentathlon consisting of the 100-meter run, 800-meter run, long jump, high jump and shot put. “I just want to try it out,” said the 43-year-old.

Her big goal for 2025 is to take part in the European Masters Championships in Madeira. “I would love to have this great experience of running for Germany again,” says Sindel. Will her stage fright still be as bad then as it was last time in Gothenburg?

SZ