Wrestler Luisa Niemesch won silver at the European Championships in Bucharest.
The 28-year-old narrowly lost 4:5 in the final of the weight class up to 62 kilograms on Friday to the long-time Norwegian world-class athlete and two-time European champion Grace Bullen.
For Niemesch it is the third European Championship medal in a row. She won silver in 2022 and bronze in 2023. The athlete from the North Baden club SV Germania Weingarten is the only athlete from the German Wrestling Federation (DRB) who has so far qualified for the Olympic Games in Paris next summer. She achieved this with fifth place at the World Championships last year.
Bronze for Anastasia Blayvas
No places will be allocated for Paris at the European Championships. The qualifying tournaments will take place from April 5th to 7th in Baku and from May 9th to 12th in Istanbul.
Niemesch won the second German medal in Bucharest. Anastasia Blayvas from KFC Leipzig had previously won bronze in the up to 55 kg class.
Freestyle men disappoint
The European Championships in Romania have been disappointing so far for the German freestyle men. Horst Lehr, third in the European Championships last year and one of the team’s great hopes, was eliminated in the first fight in the 57-kilogram class.