“The EM can come”: Timo Boll after rib problems in Munich at the start

Table tennis record European champion Timo Boll (Düsseldorf) has overcome his rib problems and will start at the home European Championships in Munich (13th to 21st August).

“The stress tests of the last few days in Höchst went well. The European Championships can come for Timo,” said national coach Jörg Roßkopf after the defending champion’s final training session on Thursday.

The 41-year-old Boll, who was recently slowed down by renewed problems due to a broken rib in early summer, is about to take part in his 18th continental title fight. The table tennis competitions in the Rudi-Sedlmayer-Halle begin on Saturday with qualifications in singles, doubles and mixed.

Franziska is waiting for his child to be born

Patrick Franziska’s start at the European Championship, on the other hand, is uncertain. The international is expecting their first child together with his Swedish wife Frida. The birth is “imminent”, said the German Table Tennis Association on Thursday. It is clear that Franziska will definitely not compete with Boll for the double qualification.

Because “nothing has happened yet” during the birth, it will “unfortunately be too narrow” to start safely in the doubles competition on Saturday, said DTTB press spokeswoman Simone Hinz in the evening. Therefore, the duo withdrew their report at short notice.

The German team also has to do without defending champion Petrissa Solja, who canceled her participation in the European Championships at the end of July due to back problems.

In Munich, medals are awarded in five competitions (men’s singles and doubles, women’s singles and doubles and mixed). At the last title fights in Warsaw in 2021, Germany had achieved record results with four gold and three silver medals.

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