The personal record in Belgium earlier in the summer was delightful at the moment – but the achievement came with a setback. A stress reaction in the foot forced Sarah Lahti to rest from training for a month.
I do not think that you can have a stop for a month before a World Championship and still be in top form, she says.
I have felt an incredible stress about not getting in good shape for this.
Lahti still made a serious attempt, but did not have the strength for the whole way. She ran to the finish line as number ten at 15.05,13 in a heat where the top eight advanced. Into the last lap, the 30-year-old had contact, but was forced to release the tight group and was almost six seconds from the last final spot.
I would have really liked to have a final spot.
Despite the final miss, she sees the race in Tokyo as a small revenge since she during the Olympic Games 2021 was forced to break off the race on 10,000 meters.
