It was 11:9, 11:2 and 3:0 for Sofia Polcanova when opponent Nina Mittelham (D) gave up in tears in the European Championship final in Munich because of pain in her right shoulder. This made it clear that the woman from Linz was crowned the first Austrian individual European champion since 2005 (Liu Jia in Aarhus). However, the 27-year-old was not initially excited. “I didn’t want to win like that”Polcanova said after giving Mittelham a sympathetic hug. “I cried with Nina.” Polcanova was sorry that Mittelham couldn’t finish the final at their home European Championship. “I know how she feels because I was injured for two years too and fought my way back, but that doesn’t compare to a final.”
Fire alarm in the team hotel
After mixed bronze with Robert Gardos and gold in doubles with Bernadette Szocs (Rou), it was Polcanova’s third medal in Munich. The Froschberg ace had already managed a hat-trick on the podium at the 2018 European Championships in Alicante (bronze and two silvers). After that, however, Polcanova began a long period of suffering with hip and knee surgery. The memory of it now made her sympathize with her opponent.
- OO Today: Sofia Polcanova finally crowned herself table tennis queen at the European Championships in Munich on Sunday.
Even before the final in the Rudi Sedlmayer Hall, which was filled with 6,000 fans, had even begun, Polcanova was sure that she would shed tears afterwards. Such was the effort and tension of the past few days. “I played in the final for the 15th time this week. I’m so broken, mentally completely overwhelmed”, said Polcanova. In the end, she practically only played, ate and slept.
In view of this, some even suspected a small conspiracy when, the night before the final, Polcanova was woken up by a fire alarm (it hadn’t been on fire) in the team hotel. Especially since the Germans were housed elsewhere. Polcanova didn’t let anything upset him, although processing the two European championship titles is only just beginning. In the hour of her greatest career triumph, she thought of her father Mihail, who died of cancer in 2015 and who had trained her in her Moldovan hometown of Chisinau. “I hope my father from heaven is watching and proud of me”she said on ORF.
View picture gallery
Most Successful Nation
Polcanova’s podium finishes alone were enough for the Austrian table tennis team, which hadn’t had a medal at last year’s European Championships in Warsaw, to become the most successful nation at the blue table in Munich. In addition, there was the silver of the doubles Robert Gardos and Daniel Habesohn.
Source: Nachrichten
