For many athletes, it would have been one of the most important events of their careers. But then Corona came and with it the postponement of the Olympic Games to the coming year. The dream of winning a medal this summer was over. The decision of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) brings a multitude of changes for the athletes: The training plan has to be redrawn, participation in competitions has to be reconsidered in advance, and the mental focus has to be re-set. Many athletes also had to change their professional plans. But one thing they all gained from the new situation: time. Thomas Röhler, Olympic champion in the javelin throw, uses this additional time not only for his own training. He also supports young athletes in Germany, who have increasingly fallen out of political focus in the debate about continuing professional sport during the crisis.
Röhler himself started his career young. In 2010 he joined the national team as a 19-year-old athlete and quickly found a perspective in competitive sports. He discovered his strength in the javelin throwing discipline and won the German men's championship in 2012. The highlight of his career so far followed four years later: at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, he won Olympic gold with a throw over 90.30 meters.
The commitment of the savings banks arrow to the right
With its entrepreneurial attitude, products and social initiatives, the Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe is committed to sustainable prosperity in many ways. With around 90 million euros annually, it promotes top-class sport, young talent and popular sport throughout Germany. It is the largest non-state sponsor of sport in the country and a top partner of Olympia Team Germany and national sponsor of Team Germany Paralympics.
Thomas Röhler is supported in his sporting career by Sparkasse Jena-Saale-Holzland and, as part of the cooperation, takes on the role of ambassador and sporting role model in terms of team spirit, fair play and regional solidarity. In addition, Röhler works as a coach in a business context and supports schools and companies in successfully setting up teams and projects.
In 2020 there is now no Olympic medal for Thomas Röhler to win. Nevertheless, the athlete supports the IOC's decision and is now taking it calmly. The postponement of the games also holds an opportunity for him and his teammates. "The range of competitions is very limited this year due to Corona. Therefore, this summer we have the opportunity to train higher intensities and to prepare ourselves as well as possible for the games next year," says the 28-year-old from Thuringia. The freedom in training also cleared his head. "I don't think about the Olympics every day," he explains.
The pandemic has completely changed the everyday life of top athletes. During the lockdown, he trained in his own home and garden for almost six weeks. When the first easing came, it went back to the usual sports areas with the support of the Thuringia Olympic base. Slowly, and for good reason, says Röhler. "We were very cautious about resuming training because health must have priority. We competitive athletes also have to be aware that we have a role model function for the amateur athlete out there. With the gradual return, we wanted to show that we too are a little way ahead quiet and tackle the situation from home. "
Thomas Röhler also takes his responsibility as an Olympic champion very seriously when it comes to promoting young talent in Germany. As a young talent he has experienced for himself how important it is to be helped by family and community, but also by state and non-state supporters.
During the restrictions he therefore tried to obtain special usage permits for training facilities for the youngsters and worked on new concepts for the further financing of sports clubs. "Clubs are the basis for ensuring that we as a Federal Republic can continue to send successful athletes to the Olympic Games. They are the basis for performance, success and, ultimately, prestige in German sport," he explains his commitment.
The necessity of an intact club life has become even clearer in Röhler's eyes due to the events of the past few months. In his own club, the Athletics Club Jena, many working parents were faced with organizational problems because their children could not be looked after by their training managers as usual. The Olympic champion therefore doesn't just want to send a message to politicians with his activities around the club's aid. "It is very important to us that the parents out there, the kids in the club and all the young talents see that they are thought of. We want to show them that the clubs give everything and that their sporting role models do not forget them."
DER SPIEGEL is neither responsible for the content nor for any products offered.