Sunday 23 May 2021
21 EM medals are encouraging
German para swimming team fit for Tokyo
There are still three months to go before the competitions in Tokyo, but the German swimming team for the Paralympics is slowly taking shape. At the European Championships in Portugal there are three titles, a total of 21 medals and, above all, the knowledge of what still needs to be done before the season climax.
Three times gold, nine times silver, nine times bronze: With a total of 21 medals and a lot of self-confidence, the swimming team of the German Disabled Sports Association (DBS) returned from the European Championships in Madeira / Portugal. Three months before the Paralympics in Tokyo (August 24th to September 5th), national coach Ute Schinkitz sees her athletes around medal collector Verena Schott on track.
“Overall, we are satisfied with the level of performance. Above all, the potential Tokyo starters have shown good competitions. The bright spots predominate,” said Schinkitz, adding: “After the long break, we wanted to pick up momentum again in the direction of Tokyo, that’s us as Team very well done. “
Elena Krawzow, Taliso Engel and Denise Grahl, who also won two silver and one bronze, took care of the three European championship titles. “My big goal was the Tokyo norm, and I’m very happy that I made it. In the final, I was only just above my best time,” said Grahl after her silver finish in the 100 meter freestyle.
The goal: the top ten in the medal table
In addition, at the end of the seven-day competitions Schott over 50 meters butterfly and Janina Breuer over 100 meters butterfly each contributed bronze. Schott won five medals after three silver medals and one bronze. In addition to Grahl, the 20-year-old Fabian Brune cracked the Tokyo norm.
Before the Paralympics, the International German Championships in Berlin from June 17th to 20th are the last opportunity to qualify. According to Schinkitz, one knows “which construction sites we still have to work on in order to become even faster in Berlin and ultimately in Tokyo”.
In the coming weeks, however, not only the para swimmers will be challenged. Seat volleyball players (1st to 5th June), table tennis (3rd to 5th June), canoeing (3rd to 6th June), rowing (3rd to 5th June) and shooting (10th century) are all about places for Tokyo. until June 19). For the athletes around long jumper Markus Rehm, the European Championships will take place from June 1st to 6th. The para cyclists will be holding their World Championships from June 9th to 13th.
Karl Quade, Head of Mission at DBS, is hoping for “130 to 150 athletes” for Tokyo. On July 19th, the DBS will officially nominate its team. “In the medal table we are aiming for a place among the top ten nations, but that is otherwise difficult to predict and even more difficult under these conditions,” said Quade, Vice President of Competitive Sports at DBS.
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