SC Bayer Uerdingen Indoor Sports Festival in Düsseldorf

Eleven-year-old Henry Weber from the organization SC Bayer stirred emotions in the well-attended hall. In the 800 meters in the M11 age group, after two laps he was in midfield in sixth place, 20 meters behind the leader. On the third lap, however, he increased his pace, gradually collecting those in front of him and also sprinting past Düsseldorf’s Leo Mauss, who had been leading up to that point. Weber crossed the line thinking he had won and stopped. But what he then heard was not the cheering of the spectators, but the bell for the last lap. Henry Weber had simply miscounted. He still had one lap, so another 200 meters. What happened next left even seasoned connoisseurs of athletics shaking their heads. Normally, after such a misstep, which incidentally has also happened to world-class indoor athletes, the race is almost over and the runner is mentally and physically exhausted. But not in this case. Henry Weber was soon surpassed and a crisis really had to be feared. But with incredible willpower, Uerdinger held on to his opponent and actually managed to finish this 800m race, which he had already won and then thought he was going to lose again, in 2:41.94 minutes as winner. Weber had already won over 50 meters in 7.67 seconds and in the long jump with 4.85 meters.