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European Championships in Munich: Questions and answers on the mini Olympic event

2022-08-11T05:20:45.259Z


50 years after the Olympic Games, a mini-Olympic format is taking place in Munich. Which sports and stars are involved - and why the marathon is causing displeasure in the running scene.


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The heart of the games: Munich's Olympic Stadium from 1972 is still in use today

Photo: Sven Hoppe / dpa

What's up?

From athletics to artistic gymnastics, from cycling to climbing: the European Championships in Munich bring together nine European championships.

From August 11th to 21st, around 4700 athletes will compete against each other in 177 medal decisions.

The merger is intended to draw more attention to the individual sports.

It is the second edition of the young mini-Olympic format.

The multi-event took place for the first time in 2018 in Berlin (athletics) and Glasgow in Scotland (all other sports).

Munich also has a small co-partner in Rome.

The European Swimming Championships are taking place in the Italian capital.

The Olympic swimming pool in Munich only has eight lanes instead of the required ten, so a new pool could not be built.

The first medal decision will be on Thursday in gymnastics in the women's all-around.

Here is the schedule of the competitions.

Which sports are represented in Munich?

In Munich, as in Glasgow and Berlin in 2018, the European Championships in the Olympic sports of athletics, cycling, rowing, triathlon and gymnastics will take place.

New this time are competitions in beach volleyball, canoe racing, climbing and table tennis.

Where are the competitions held?

The Olympic Games took place in Munich 50 years ago – and venues from back then will now celebrate a comeback.

In the center is the Olympic Stadium, which is home to the athletics competitions.

BMX and mountain bike competitions are held in the Olympic Park – triathlons also take place there.

People climb and play beach volleyball on Munich's Königsplatz.

Munich city center is the venue for the European Championships in walking, marathon and road cycling.

Track cycling will take place in the Munich Exhibition Center and the Table Tennis Championships in the Rudi-Sedlmayer Hall.

Rowing and canoeing competitions are held at the Olympic regatta facility.

Which stars will appear?

Timo Boll, the most successful German table tennis player in history, will play for the European Championship title.

His rival Dimitrij Ovtcharov is also there.

Oliver Zeidler competes in rowing.

The German Athletics Association is worried about the start of Malaika Mihambo.

Whether the Olympic champion, world champion and defending champion in the long jump will be fit enough after a corona infection is still open.

"It was a mild course, but I felt tired and listless and didn't train for ten days," said Mihambo.

"Unfortunately, the quarantine and the symptoms made optimal preparation for the competition impossible." The women's long jump qualification is scheduled for Tuesday next week in the European Championship schedule.

The final will be held on August 18th.

Pole vault superstar Armand Duplantis from Sweden could be attacking his own world record (6.21 meters).

Sprint Olympic champion Marcell Jacobs (Italy) will compete in the 100 meters – a hip injury slowed him down at the World Championships three weeks ago.

High jumper Gianmarco Tamberi (Italy) – who became famous at the Olympics in Japan because of his joint gold victory with Mutaz Essa Barshim – competes.

Kevin Mayer from France is chasing the title in the decathlon.

Olympic champion Janja Garnbret (Slovenia) tries to win in climbing.

The EM marathon in Munich - why this topic causes a stir

The women's marathon is currently scheduled for 10.30 a.m. and the men's marathon for 11.30 a.m. next Monday - too late, many say.

The reason is the threatening heat, which challenges the body even more during a run over 42.195 kilometers.

Temperatures of around 27 to 30 degrees are currently expected in the midday hours.

In an open letter, more than 50 athletes appealed to the organizers to protect the health of the athletes and to move the start to the morning hours.

This was announced by the interest group Athleten Deutschland.

The start time has been criticized for a year, but so far the organizers of the race - the European Championships Management and the European Athletics Association EAA - have stuck to the date.

It should also be about TV ratings, which will probably be better in the midday hours than in the early morning.

A change in the schedule is still possible - and it is not completely out of the question that it might get cooler.

In terms of sport, the German camp is counting on its chances: The German record holder Amanal Petros, who was also one of the signers of the open letter, is going to the starting line as a co-favorite with his best time of 2:06:27.

Are the competitions the preliminary stage for a new German Olympic application?

The European Championships at the old Olympic site in Munich inevitably evoke memories.

The major event could "help to strengthen acceptance and approval for the Olympics in our country," said Thomas Weikert, President of the German Olympic Sports Confederation, the German Press Agency.

Efforts to organize the 2022 Winter Games with Munich and the 2024 Summer Games with Hamburg failed in public opinion polls.

The next Summer Olympics will be in Paris in 2024, Los Angeles in 2028 and Brisbane in Australia in 2032.

The organizer of the 2036 games is to be decided between 2025 and 2029.

Why is the European Athletics Championships taking place three weeks after the World Championships?

Those who were still working on the last day of the World Athletics Championships in Eugene, USA on July 24 had barely three weeks to recover from the stress of competition and the strains of travel.

The reason for the World Cup and European Championship in one year is the corona virus.

The World Cup was originally supposed to take place in August 2021.

Due to the pandemic and the resulting relocation of the Summer Olympics in Tokyo, the title fights were postponed to 2022.

From the coming season, the World Cup and European Championship are to take place alternately again: the 2023 World Championship in Budapest, the 2024 European Championship in Rome.

Where can I watch the competitions?

The European Championships are broadcast by ARD and ZDF.

There is also streaming in the respective media libraries.

In addition, Eurosport shows the cycling competitions on TV and stream and from 16 to 22 August a daily (8.30 a.m.) summary of the athletics competitions.

You can also follow the competitions on site: some sports, such as triathlon, BMX freestyle and road cycling, are free for spectators.

With a top price of 130 euros, the tickets for the European Athletics Championships are the most expensive.

With material from dpa and sid

Source: spiegel

All sports articles on 2022-08-11

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