221 kg without training: Mayor shines at the stone lifting championship!

221 kg without training: Mayor shines at the stone lifting championship!

A true spectacle offered the visitors of the 31st Thuringian Steinheber championship in Gräfenroda last weekend. Over 20 participants, including some women and juniors from Thuringia, Austria and Saxony, did their best - and all of this with a colorful supporting program that was organized by the local clubs.

Jürgen Orttmann, the former section leader of the weightlifter in Chemistry Gräfenroda, created the Steinheber championship when the need arose to create a new sporting event in the region. Inspired by the Bavarian stone lifting on television, the first championship was launched in 1991. Since then it has been an integral part of the annual festivities, with the exception of some interruptions through arson and pandemic.

from great tradition

The event now took place after a three -year break and attracted numerous fans. Mayor Dominik Straube not only showed his support, but grabbed himself and raised remarkable 221 kg - and without prior training. The original stone, which is used in the competitions, actually weighs 201 kg, but was repaired in 2018 to continue to offer the participants a safe and fair competition experience.

This year the defending champion Tobias Zinserling won, who again cited the men's ranking with 402 kg. For women, Annabell Serfling crowned the winner with 201 kg. It also became exciting among the young people: Dereck Zehne, a 20-year-old chimney sweep, was able to cope with 241 kg in work clothing and is thus celebrated as Thuringia's strongest chimney sweep.

The total number of visitors was gratifying, although the maximum number of 1000 from 1996 is still a long way off. Nevertheless, the award ceremony was a moment full of joy and pride for everyone involved.

a festival for the whole family

The stone lifting championship is part of a larger festival week that started on June 21 and lasted until June 29. This not only celebrates the championships, but also the 35th anniversary of the FSV and SV 90 Gräfenroda and 60 years of weightlifting in the region. In addition to the competitions, there was also a 3 g run at the big summer festival at the opening, which offered different age groups the opportunity to demonstrate their perseverance.

With all these exciting activities and strong community loyalty, Gräfenroda shows that tradition and sport go by side here. The mixture of sporting best performances and a festive atmosphere made the hearts of the spectators beat faster and makes the stone lifting championship an unforgettable experience.

For everyone who now wants to get active to become active, the messages for the next runs are already possible. If you are interested in the event, you can register under the specified email address and become part of this wonderful festival.