Germany on the move: Team European Championship podium thanks to Joyeux!

Germany on the move: Team European Championship podium thanks to Joyeux!

The European Team Championships in Madrid are shaping up to be a real competition full of excitement and surprises. The German track and field athletes impressively improved from seventh place to second place on the second day of the competition and are now in the table with 266 points. Only Italy holds the lead with 290 points, while Poland and the Netherlands follow in third and fourth place. These successes are a sign that young Germans are well positioned in athletics.

A special highlight was the performance of Caroline Joyeux, who not only achieved her best performance in the triple jump with 14.42 meters, but also became the only German winner on Saturday. Joyeux, who is only 19 years old and competes for LG Nord Berlin, has now established herself as a serious athlete. She has already achieved high distances during her career, which have brought her into the German U20 best list. She has successfully recovered from a heel crack in 2020 and now plans to make even bigger leaps in the coming years. “The fun of sport comes first,” she says, showing her relaxed and motivated approach, which will certainly help her make further progress.

Strong performances from the German team

But it wasn't just Joyeux who caused a sensation. Other outstanding performances came from Karl Bebendorf, who won the 3,000 meter obstacle, and discus thrower Mika Sosna, who took second place with 66.17 meters, only beaten by Daniel Ståhl from Sweden. The men's 4x100 meter relay also had a solid run, finishing in second place behind the Netherlands with a time of 38.27 seconds.

The women's relay team also earned a podium spot, finishing their race in 42.52 seconds, which guaranteed third place. High jumper Tobias Potye was also in good form and took third place with 2.24 meters, while Jan Stefela from the Czech Republic led the competition with 2.33 meters. After a promising day of competition, hopes for further success are high, not least with the upcoming performances of Malaika Mihambo in the long jump and Julian Weber in the javelin throw.

Look at the upcoming disciplines

The European Team Championship ends on Sunday at the Estadio Vallehermoso and the pressure is high. Germany has positioned itself as a serious challenger this year, having last achieved third place in 2023. The top 16 nations take part in this prestigious event, with each country fielding an athlete or relay team in 37 different competitions. To show with their excellent performances and fighting spirit that German athletes leave no stone unturned to reach the highest places in international comparison.

The tension remains high and the spectators can look forward to exciting competitions and possibly more medals for the German team. However, the path to the top is not easy and every point counts, as the current rankings impressively show. A heart for athletics is no coincidence, and the athletes do everything they can to cement their place in German sporting history.

For more information about the German athletes in Madrid and their creative journey in athletics, see the pages of ka-news, athletics.de, and Sports1.