“Munich will always have a very special place in my heart”: It often happens that winners honor the place where they triumphed. But after his victory in the European Championship decathlon in Munich’s Olympic Stadium, Niklas Kaul thought of a lot about the scenery. “I’ve never experienced it like this,” enthused the 24-year-old from Mainz, who also experienced a home European Championship in Berlin four years ago.
He felt the support in the javelin throw, the ninth discipline, in the final 1,500-meter run “very blatantly.” alive and that there was good reason for all of us to look forward to these days here.” His wish for the next few days? “That the Munich audience takes the other track and field athletes with them, because that’s something they will never forget.”
40,000 enthusiastic fans, La Ola, “Oh, how beautiful it is”: A party was celebrated under the tent roof that only happens on sports fields – and that rarely: spectators and athletes increased each other in a frenzy.
Very close in front: Gina Lückenkemper (in yellow) wins the 100 meter run thanks to her outstanding final sprint.
(Photo: Matthias Hangst/Getty)
“The stadium is absolutely amazing today. I’m so incredibly grateful to you,” Gina Lückenkemper told the spectators in a wide circle over the stadium microphone after she had won the European Championship title in the 100-meter dash in a tight final sprint . “To stand in this witch’s cauldron today and realize that the stadium is full and they’re all here because they want to see how I can put on a great performance, that was incredibly motivating.”
Kristin Pudenz, who threw her discus as far as never before – to 67.87 meters, which earned her silver – also sent friendly greetings to the grandstand: “The spectators definitely helped.” Claudine Vita, who finished third with 65.20 meters, praised the “great audience”.
Silver and bronze winners in the discus throw: Kristin Pudenz (right) and Claudine Vita.
(Photo: Eibner/Imago)
It wasn’t the first time since the 1972 Olympics that something like this has happened in athletics at this location. In 2002, the European Championships were already a guest under the tent roof, and when Dieter Baumann stormed over 10,000 meters at his first major appearance after his doping ban to win silver, the applause was so frenetic that “the acrylic glass of the roof threatened to splinter,” like the SZ chronicler noted.
It was raining cats and dogs during Baumann’s jubilee run. This Wednesday evening, on the other hand, was cloudless and warm with little wind. Optimal external conditions. A whiff of a summer fairy tale was in the air.
Emotional farewell: Arthur Abele, 36, completed an EM decathlon for the last time.
(Photo: Matthias Hangst/Getty)
For Arthur Abele, 36, it was the last decathlon of his career. The surprise European champion from four years ago in Berlin, after finishing fifteenth in the competition, was bid farewell with a Coldplay song and a picture homage, which brought tears to his eyes. “The mood was unbelievable here,” he said, visibly moved on the ARD microphone: “It was really abnormal, it was so beautiful and it was so much fun, I just enjoyed it, it’s the perfect ending for now me.”
Frank Busemann, a silver medalist in the decathlon in Atlanta in 1996 and a TV expert for a long time now, said on the same station: “I’m completely dazed from the whole evening. You have to experience what’s happening here today. You can’t tell about it , you have to have been there.” And: “You only experience that once. You can’t leave the stadium. You have to nail yourself here so that nobody can carry you out.”
Fun with mascots: long jump winner Miltiadis Tentoglou and G’freidi (left).
(Photo: Alexander Hassenstein/Getty)
But it wasn’t just the locals who were delighted. The Croatian Sandra Perković, winner of the discus throw, praised: “Germany really has a good sports culture. The spectators pushed me a lot.” Britain’s Daryll Neita, third in the 100m, thought despite her defeat: “The crowd was fantastic.”
Decathlete Janek Õiglane from Estonia found the German fans “just great, I enjoyed every moment of the competition”. The British long jumper Jacob Fincham-Dukes even believes: “The indescribable way in which everyone is supported here makes all competitions better.” These will run until Sunday.