European Games in Kraków: Summary of the European Games: “Not the most important tournament”

Flag bearer Ricarda Funk raved about “something very special”, table tennis legend Timo Boll lacked “the great atmosphere”. As mixed as the protagonists judged the atmosphere at the third European Games in Kraków, Poland, so was the sporting conclusion. “We are on the road as expected, not worse, but not better either,” said Chef de Mission Olaf Tabor of the German Press Agency, especially with a view to qualifying for the 2024 Olympics in Paris.

The nearly 290-strong squad won 20 gold, 16 silver and 27 bronze medals, plus seven starting places (so-called quota places) for the Olympics. The total of 63 plaques resulted in fourth place in the medal table, only front runner Italy (100) collected more overall. “Team D is on track – but there is still a long way to go through Olympic qualification and Paris,” Tabor said. The German team was not amused by the lack of media interest. “Unfortunately, we’re used to that from fringe sports. We would definitely like to see more presence,” said kayaker Funk, who took home a complete set of medals.

Close to fans

On site, the fans easily reached their idols. Whoever wanted to, quickly found their way to the athletes’ village and got into conversation with the protagonists there. The Henryk Reyman Stadium, where the games are scheduled to conclude, was just a few meters away, and Kraków’s sporting spirit also floated across the pitch in the nearby park. The townspeople played kickboxing, volleyball, soccer and even Quidditch in the long shadow of the stadium, preferably in the evenings when the green lungs of the city seemed to gently breathe in the stress of the day.

However, the enthusiasm of the amateur athletes rarely spread to the big picture. The fencers in the Krakow Tauron Arena, which was oversized for them, looked completely lost, and many seats remained empty in table tennis, which is traditional in Poland. “You just didn’t manage to lure the spectators into the hall,” complained national coach Jörg Roßkopf.

The sport shooters in Breslau were completely off the beaten track, and of course the ski jumpers who flew down the slopes in traditional Zakopane. The first appearance at the European Games, despite the victory of local hero Dawid Kubacki, only caused a limited enthusiasm in the country, which is actually crazy about ski jumping. Perhaps what legend Sven Hannawald had said before was true: “At the end of the day in summer everyone is in the swimming pool, eating ice cream – and nobody watches ski jumping.”

Unique setting in the heart of Kraków

New offerings such as Teqball, a mix of table tennis and soccer, benefited from the unique backdrop of the Main Market Square in the heart of Kraków. There was no need for advertising, the crowds streamed past anyway – and saw many strong teams from Eastern Europe. The German amateur footballers, whose association is less than two weeks old, played like the nation’s professional footballers are currently playing: “Just not that great,” commented a grandstand guest. “The group was strong, I’m not fit,” said the bandaged Yannic Stächlein after the elimination in the preliminary round.

Where the elite fought for quota places for the Olympics or at least European titles, the sporting status was right. For Roßkopf, however, the European Games were “definitely not among the most important tournaments” of the year. And after the defeat in the women’s team final against Romania, top player Nina Mittelham summed it up: “It hurts, but in the end we played for the golden pineapple.”

Discords ring through

Discordant tones also resonated from the European Athletics Team Championships in Chorzow. At the award ceremony in the Slaski Stadium, which is almost empty every day, the song “Sara perche ti amo” (“That will be the reason why I love you”) was played for the winner Italy. Considered the unofficial anthem of AC Milan, it contained passages that vilified city football rivals Inter Milan. The organizers of the European Games referred to the European Athletics Association: It was responsible because the European Team Championships took place under the umbrella of the multi-sport event, but were not part of it.

In contrast to the European Championships in Munich (2022) and Berlin (2018), where athletics was the bright focus, Chorzow did not shine. This also applied to the German track and field athletes, who came third in the overall standings behind Italy and Poland – with four individual successes in 37 disciplines.

“Of course there was not only light, but also shadows, but we are on the right path to the World Cup,” was the conclusion of Jörg Bügner, sports director of the German association. That’s why it was a mixed dress rehearsal for the World Championships in Budapest at the end of August, where compensation for the World Championships low point in 2022 in Eugene/USA with only two medals is to be made.