With two gold medals and great teamwork, surprise European champions Richard Ringer and Co. celebrated a lavish marathon festival at the start of the athletics competitions in Munich. Thousands of fans were part of the party.
When Richard Ringer listened to the national anthem at the award ceremony with his eyes closed and enjoyed the greatest triumph of his career, all torments were forgotten. The endlessly long finish, where legs and feet hardly did their job because of all the cramps. And the near-fatal period of weakness at 25km, from which Amanal Petros helped him out. The German record holder, who started the European Championship with great ambitions himself, finished fourth in a fascinating race.
As the first German to win the European Championship
“Boy, stay tuned. Don’t leave any gaps!”, the runner, who was born in Eritra, called out to his teammate, who managed the huge surprise at the end of only his fourth marathon and with an incredible final sprint in front of the raging fans on the central Odeonsplatz in 2:10 :21 hours to EM gold – the first European title for a German marathon runner!
With thick legs twice on the podium
“Incredible – I wanted to perform in 2018 and got out for the first time. And now I’m European champion. The spectators were responsible for me finishing first in the end,” said the 33-year-old, who four years ago at the EM in Berlin over 10,000 m and held his legs, which were sore after his energy performance.
He still had to climb the podium a second time. Together with Petros, Johannes Motschmann (16th), the German champion Hendrik Pfeiffer (24th), Konstantin Wedel (25th) and Simon Boch (50th), Ringer won silver with the team. The fact that Israel ended up on top of the podium 50 years after the Munich Olympic attack is certainly one of the stories of these European Championships.
All eyes on Richard Ringer: Full house at Odeonsplatz in Munich.
Women with strong performances to team gold
Another wrote the German marathon runners. Because when Ringer started his feat just a few meters further, the DLV runners in the interview zone in the live stream on the cell phone cheered on the 33-year-old. What a choreography! The women, who started an hour before the men, had just snatched gold in the team ranking, which for the first time also counts for the medal table at a European Championship.
Worn by the spectators
The only 24-year-old Miriam Dattke, who missed bronze in 2:28:52 hours by just a centimeter after a great race, the German champion Domenika Mayer in sixth place and Deborah Schöneborn in tenth place ensured the historic triumph. Rabea Schöneborn (12th) and Katharina Steinruck (15th) completed the excellent team result, which was not least due to the frenetic home crowd.
On Assumption Day, a public holiday in Munich, thousands lined the streets of the circuit through the city center, which had to be completed four times. “The mood was absolutely amazing,” enthused Dattke. “I felt that the spectators pushed me.”
DLV hopes for a boost after a dream start
The marathoners gave Germany a dream start in the athletics competitions of the European Championships – and should give the DLV team the hoped-for boost for the home European Championships after the historically weak World Championships around three weeks ago with only two medals.
“It happened exactly what we all wished for and hoped for. I assume that the spark ignited in the team,” said DLV President Jürgen Kessing. “I’m sure it wasn’t the last thing delivered.” As an athlete in Munich, you are “carried by the German fans,” stated head national coach Annett Stein.
Ringer: “Team comes first”
And also from the team spirit. “The team came first, we wanted to get a medal. That really motivated me,” said Ringer, who was third at the 2016 European Championships over 5,000 meters. “It’s not as competitive as it is on the track. Everyone stands up for everyone.” As if to prove it, Petros ran past and tousled the new European champion’s hair: “He did a great job. I’m proud of him.”