Athletics Germany without a World Cup medal
Athletics President is already writing off the Olympics
As of: 4:28 p.m. | Reading time: 4 minutes
After all, he was close: javelin thrower Julian Weber was the last remaining German medal candidate to miss the podium – fourth place.
Source: Sven Hoppe/dpa
German athletics is at its lowest point. For the first time, the team remains without a medal at a World Cup. There will probably not be a trend reversal in the near future. The association president is already thinking about the 2028 Olympics, the focus is not on the games next year.
Even with the last chance, Julian Weber’s javelin didn’t fly far enough through the evening sky of Budapest – with the first medalless World Championships, German athletics reached a low point. Finishing fourth again, the European champion was no longer able to prevent the worst case scenario. Weber then shook his head in disappointment.
“I don’t really know what happened today. I put everything in and gave everything. He didn’t want to fly any further,” Weber said a little at a loss on ZDF. “I would have loved to have gotten the medal and I know I could have done it. I am sorry and very upset. I tried to go full throttle, but somehow it didn’t work.”
However, the 28-year-old was under extreme pressure at the end of the nine-day competition. Since the start of the World Championships 40 years ago, Germany has not appeared in the medal table. After only two medals last year in Eugene – also due to a few injury-related absences – the international crash continued.
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A year after finishing fourth in the USA, Weber threw the javelin at 85.79 meters on his best attempt and finished fourth. With that, the last hope for a German medal died. Only hours earlier, the German association president Jürgen Kessing had spoken of the “worst case” – the worst case – if the Olympic fourth-placed player didn’t make it onto the podium. “We didn’t come here to go home empty-handed,” said Kessing. But that’s exactly how it happened.
Harting sharply criticizes the system
Even high jumper Christina Honsel couldn’t change the zero number on the last day of the competition. She came in eighth with 1.94 meters. “It also makes me sad that we didn’t win a medal in the end,” said Geher and team captain Christopher Linke on ZDF.
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Kicker, Comunio, Kickbase
German athletics seems to have hit rock bottom. For discus Olympic champion Robert Harting, the problems are homemade. The 38-year-old criticized the German Athletics Association (DLV) on X (formerly Twitter): “Just no medal despite good and personal bests. The problem in German competitive sport is the consequence of mistakes by decision-makers, but above all the lack of investment in know-how by everyone involved.”
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The three-time world champion also denounced the potential analysis system (PotAS). The analysis is part of the top-class sport reform, in which federal funding is to be distributed more on the basis of expectations of success and chances of winning a medal. “In my opinion, this PotAs system is really sick. What was founded out of distrust of politicians towards the DOSB. That says it all,” he wrote. The latest developments, “changing certificates or football games so that children no longer cry” are wrong.
Decathlon hope Leo Neugebauer was fifth on Saturday evening and still enjoyed his lap of honor extensively. The women’s relay around Gina Lückenkemper hugged each other happily after sixth place, while international stars wrapped in national flags, such as triple sprint world champion Noah Lyles, celebrated next to them.
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Both symbolized the state of German athletics. Achievements that European Champion Lückenkemper says are “worthy of every honor” are not enough for medals at world championships. Some of the world leaders are far away, and the trend reversal after Eugene’s sadness has failed to materialize.
“The rest of the world has become significantly stronger than us”
A year before the Olympic Games in Paris, Association President Jürgen Kessing gives little hope of a turnaround. “We know that this year has not gone particularly well. We are not satisfied with that,” said Kessing on “MDR Aktuell”. “This may continue next year in Paris. Our goal is to be back in the top 5 athletics nations by (the Olympics) in Los Angeles in 2028. The rest of the world has become significantly stronger than us.”
Jurgen Kessing
Source: dpa/Swen gatekeeper
The German Athletics Association is “just rebuilding itself. But these are large and complex processes that also take time,” said the head of the association. “We also have to see where the injuries come from – is it still an after-effect of Corona, is it a material history? Those are all things we need to clear up.”
13 top 8 placements were six more than at last year’s World Cup in the USA. But there was gold from the long jump Olympic champion Malaika Mihambo, who was missing this time due to injury, and bronze from the sprint relay – and medals are crucial for the reputation. An exciting EM summer fairy tale like last year’s does not gloss over the meager World Cup yield this time.
