The German team missed a gold medal at the European Halle European Championships, but convinced with Team Spirit. Why athletics is also team sport.
Shortly after her qualification for the shot put finale at the Hallen European Championship in Apeldoorn, Olympic champion Yemisi Ogunleye is particularly important: “The fact that we enter the final would be my heart’s desire today.” Your wish comes true. Katharina Maisch (LV 90 Erzgebirge) and Alina Kenzel (VfB Stuttgart) also make it through the qualification. In the final, behind Ogunleyes silver medal Alina Kenzel with a personal best in sixth place and Katharina Maisch in seventh ideas. The Team Spirit among the German athletes is clearly noticeable in many moments.
Yemisi Ogunleye: “Three to the final is my heart’s desire”
Ogunleye had already said in the qualification of her teammates: “We do not leave this place if we are not all in the finals morning.” Alina Kenzel confirms Ogunleye’s team feeling: “It is simply noticeable if you are there from eight final participants with three Germans. That is what makes it out.” Katharina Maisch is also happy about the three -person constellation: “We exchange ideas and we push each other.” The trio is with its vastness in the top 10 in Europe. “It is incredible how strong the shot put in Germany has become again,” says Ogunleye, pleased about team performance.
Malaika Mihambo: “I jumped for both of us”
It is one of the most tragic scenes at the Hallen European Championship: In her last attempt in the long jump final, Karlsruher Mikaelle Assani (SCL Heel Baden-Baden) injured the left Beuger and has to be driven out of the hall with a wheelchair. Your teammate Malaika Mihambo (LG Kurpfalz) looks worries and has to concentrate on her last leap at the same time. It is a mental effort for the Olympic champion. “I thought about whether I should go to Mikaelle, but I could hardly have helped her and had to jump directly. Then I jumped for both of us,” explains the Olympic champion after the competition.
Team Spirit at the German athletes
With Assani in the heart, Mihambo is still flying to the bronze medal. After that, her thoughts are directly back with her teammate. “I hope the injury is not that bad, I’ll press it straight away,” Mihambo describes her emotional situation in the interview after the competition. The captain of the 37-member German team in Apeldoorn is not the only one in which it becomes noticeable that athletics is more than just a single fight.
Many of the athletes support each other. Long -distance runners Maximilian Thorwirth, who trains in Tübingen with Isabell Baumann, fires his fellow runners Florian Bremm and Sam Parsons vigorously shortly after his final. “Our top runners Robert Farken and Majie Kolberg have experienced a difficult weekend. That can also be. Now we have to get the coals out of the fire,” explains Thorwirth. The long -distance runners also hold up the final flags for medium -distance runners. His quote speaks of the team concept. It’s about everyone and not just one.
Youngster and established – a good mix
The all-rounders Marcel Meyer (Hannover 96) and Sandrina Sprengel (LG Steinach-Zollern) are in the national team for the first time at the European Hall. You benefit from the established athletes and can get motivation and backing with the experienced in team.
There are many new and young faces in the team of the German Athletics Association (DLV) that give tailwind for the future. Most are friends beyond sport and even share their everyday life together. Hurfish youth hope Rosina Schneider (TV Sulz) is the youngest in the team. She lives together with Sandrina Sprengel in Stuttgart in a flat share. In Apeldoorn she was one of the first morning in the hall to cheer her friend Sandrina at the all -around. The other way around, Sandrina was also in the hall for Rosina’s hurdle runs at the beginning of the Hallen European Championship to support them. Although she still had her own competition in front of her, it was always: team instead of tunnel mode.
The DLV team wants sports director Bügner develop further
Jörg Bügner, the sports director of the German Athletics Association, also appreciates the atmosphere in the team: “The atmosphere with us is great. With our team captains Max Hess and Malaika Mihambo we have great contacts and in general there is a great feeling for team.”
Nevertheless, it is noticeable in some disciplines at the association that the offspring are missing. “We have to develop further in the next few years,” explains the DLV sports director. Among other things, he named the hosts from the Netherlands as a model. You can learn a lot.
