Waldrennach fistballer Oliver Kraut represents Germany in China!

Waldrennach fistballer Oliver Kraut represents Germany in China!

Oliver Kraut from TV Waldrennach will represent Germany at the World Games in Chengdu, China. The Games will take place August 9-13 and will provide a unique opportunity for athletes in non-Olympic sports. Kraut is 26 years old and plays as a defender, with 17 senior international matches under his belt. This nomination fills him with joy and he describes it as a great honor to be able to represent his country. In an interview he said: “Experiencing culture and the new country is what makes it so attractive” ( bnn.de ).

The World Games themselves are a major sporting event that takes place every four years. It is organized by the International World Games Association (IWGA) and around 5,000 athletes from more than 100 nations are expected in 2025. Chengdu will host the 12th edition of these games and has built a special four-court fistball facility in Tianfu Park. Germany has always triumphed at recent fistball events and will try to continue this successful streak ( dosb.de ).

Challenges and team dynamics

Despite his excitement, there are some challenges for Kraut and his team. Unfortunately, they have to be relegated to the second division, regardless of the outcome of their last league game against TV Stammheim. There will also be no joint training camp before departure to China, which doesn't exactly make the preparations any easier. Nevertheless, Kraut remains optimistic and is strengthened by the previous team dynamics. “Cohesion and support within the team are crucial,” he said firmly, honoring the expectations for the games ( faustball-liga.de ).

He also proudly names the strong competitors such as Brazil, Switzerland and Austria. Kraut is aware of the challenges but is pleased to be part of a team that has extensive experience and success, including a European Championship title and multiple U21 European Championship titles.

Players from Dennach and the path to the championship

It is particularly pleasing that four TSV Dennach players were nominated for the World Games: Pia Neuefeind, Maya Mehle, Ann-Kathrin Motteler and Denise Zeiher. These talented players will, in turn, hunt for points in the First Bundesliga South in order to qualify for the final round of the German championship. TSV Dennach currently has 20:8 points and is behind TSV Calw and TV Segnitz, which makes the table situation exciting.

The last games of the main round are approaching and the Dennacher team will compete with TV Käfertal and TV Stammheim. A good result could be crucial for the rest of the season, especially before the international appearance in China.

The anticipation for the World Games is noticeably increasing, both among Kraut and his fellow players. It will be exciting to see how the team performs under the circumstances and whether they can continue their previous successes in this new arena. Europe's fistball players are looking forward to the coming days in Chengdu.