The players with the “Ticket to Paris”
Photo: dpa/Tom Weller
The exuberant Olympic party for the German handball players started with the final whistle. »Now the big party begins. We can really do one better today. We deserve that too,” co-captain Emily Bölk announced the motto for the evening after the easy 37:20 (19:13) win against Paraguay at the end of the qualifying tournament in Neu-Ulm.
Following the meaningless duel with the South Americans, in which right winger Jenny Behrend was the best thrower with six goals on Sunday, national coach Markus Gaugisch’s protégés posed with an oversized one Paris-Ticket for the celebration photo. They then celebrated with the enthusiastic fans for minutes about their first participation in the Olympic Games in 16 years, which had been perfected the day before.
German team athletes in Paris: Who is there?
- BASKETBALL (men and women qualified):
Of course the world champions qualified for Paris; the team had already secured their ticket by reaching the World Cup semi-finals as one of the two best European teams. The women are making their Olympic debut. At the four-way qualifying tournament in Belem at the beginning of February, the European Championship sixth place team got the ticket with star player Satou Sabally. - 3X3-BASKETBALL (open)
Based on the world rankings from November 1st, the first of eight women’s and men’s starting places were awarded. This weekend the “FIBA Universality-driven Olympic Tournament 1” will take place without German participation. At the beginning and middle of May the “FIBA Universality-driven Olympic Tournament 2” and the “FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament” for Germany’s women and men will continue, after which all participants will be announced. - FOOTBALL (women qualified,
men not)
When tickets were allocated for the Nations League for the first time, the German women took advantage of their second chance and qualified with a victory over hosts the Netherlands. For men, however, the train has long since left. Since 1992, the U21 European Championships have been decisive for qualification; last year, coach Antonio Di Salvo’s selection failed miserably in the preliminary round at the finals in Georgia and Romania as title holders. - HANDBALL (men and women qualified)
The German women’s team has been there since Saturday, the men around Juri Knorr and Co. had already used their last chance: a clear win against Algeria in the qualifying tournament in Hanover, defeat against feared opponents Croatia and in the “final” against Austria a 34:31. - HOCKEY (men and women qualified)
You can rely on the German hockey teams when it comes to the Olympics: The men, world champions in 2023, confidently secured their ticket to the qualifying tournament in Oman and are aiming for their fifth Olympic victory in Paris after 1972, 1992, 2008 and 2012. The women’s team that won gold in Athens in 2004 qualified for the Games in India. - 7ER-RUGBY (not qualified)
The men’s team started 2023 with big goals. The European Championship title, promotion to the World Series and also the ticket for the Olympics were supposed to be there, but nothing came of it. At the European Games in June 2023 in Krakow, the German team missed their last chance to reach Paris. The women’s selection in Poland also came away empty-handed. - VOLLEYBALL (Men qualified, women with opportunities)
After twelve years, the men fulfilled their Olympic dream at the qualifying tournament in Rio de Janeiro. Women, on the other hand, still have to worry. The team missed their first chance at the qualifying tournament in Lodz. Another option is the world rankings, through which five additional starting places are awarded. - WATER POLO (not qualified)
Both German teams missed the Olympics. The first tickets were awarded for the World Cup in Japan in the summer of 2023, where the German teams were not there. At the European Championships in January, both teams missed their chance at the Olympics. The men last took part in the Summer Games in 2008, the women never. SID
By participating in the Olympics in Beijing for the first time since 2008, the DHB women fulfilled their “biggest dream,” said Bölk. After the men qualified in mid-March, the German Handball Association is taking part in the summer games with both national teams. “The goal is to get to Lille,” said Michelmann.
The quarter-finals and medal games of the Olympic handball tournament will be held in Lille. »We’re going there to win something. It won’t be a summer trip,” said national coach Gaugisch. They don’t want to rest on their laurels, but rather continue working consistently. »The path is not over. Now it’s about attacking the top nations. That’s a different story again, but definitely possible with this team.”
The DHB selection had already booked their longed-for Olympic ticket on Saturday with a convincing 28:24 win against European Championship third-placed Montenegro. After the game, there were a few tears of joy and relief and later champagne in front of the team hotel.
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»I am very happy and satisfied that we got the job done. That is an incredibly beautiful feeling. It was an awesome trip. The team did a great job,” said Gaugisch, praising the confident performances of his protégés in the qualifying tournament, which the World Cup sixth placed team finished first with 6-0 points.
»It’s unbelievable that we’re going to Paris. I’m super happy and super proud,” said Emily Bölk and looked back: “We’ve eaten a lot of shit in crucial situations over the past few years. It’s all the nicer that we kept a cool head this time and were able to reward ourselves with a ticket to Paris.«
In the game against Montenegro, the DHB team struggled for half, but turned up the heat after the break and demonstrated their increased performance. The best thrower was backcourt player Julia Maidhof, who scored nine goals in her 50th international match.
Co-captain Alina Grijseels, who had celebrated her 28th birthday the day before, rejoiced afterwards: “This is the best and greatest gift I have received in my life.” And left winger Antje Döll confessed with moist eyes: “The Olympic Dream was far away for years, now it has become real. I’m very grateful for it, it’s something special.«dpa
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