Düsseldorf athletes honored: Radiant successes in hockey and beach volleyball!

Düsseldorf athletes honored: Radiant successes in hockey and beach volleyball!

On October 14, 2025, in the heart of Düsseldorf, seven athletes were honored for their outstanding achievements at the European and German Championships. Mayor Dr. Stephan Keller presented the awards in the town hall and particularly highlighted the successes of the athletes. Among those honored were members of the Düsseldorf Hockey Club (DHC), who took part in a thrilling final in the home European Championship in Mönchengladbach.

However, the hockey team, consisting of Lisa Nolte, Selin Oruz, Sophia Schwabe and Sara Strauss, had to admit defeat to the Dutch team 1:2. The performances of the players are particularly noteworthy: Sophia Schwabe scored two goals, while Lisa Nolte and Sara Strauss each contributed one goal. After the season ended, Selin Oruz announced that she was ending her international career after playing over 170 international matches. The 2016 Olympic bronze medalist can look back on an impressive career that includes three European Championship silver medals and one European Championship gold medal. The reception at the town hall opened with a special cake in honor of Selin Oruz.

Successes in beach volleyball

Another highlight of the awards was the award given to Cinja Tillmann, who was celebrated for her third place at the European Championships and winning gold at the German Beach Volleyball Championships. Together with her partner Svenja Müller, she secured the bronze medal at the CEV EuroBeachVolley 2025. This makes Tillmann and Müller the first women's duo to win the German championship title four times in a row.

The men didn't miss out either: Sven Winter and Lukas Pfretzschner from Eintracht Spontent were recognized for their victory at the German Championships. It was Winter's second title after 2021, while Pfretzschner won his first medal. These successes underline Germany's strong position in international beach volleyball.

Looking forward to the 2025 European Championships

The growing enthusiasm for the sport should not be missed: The 2025 European Beach Volleyball Championships will take place in Düsseldorf from July 30th to August 3rd. With 32 teams per gender and exciting competitions in the Rochus Club, which is known as a venue for tennis events, the city is expecting a major sporting event in a class of its own. Germany, the most successful beach nation in Europe, has won a total of 39 medals at the European Championships, including 14 gold ones.

Mari Nils Ehlers and Clemens Wickler, the silver medalists from the Olympic Games in Paris, as well as the defending champions Svenja Müller and Cinja Tillmann are going into the race as co-favorites. There is also pride among the women, as the Austrian world number two Dorina and Ronja Klinger as well as six former European champions compete against the strong German teams.

Preparations are in full swing. Organizers of the event, such as the European association CEV and the German Volleyball Association (DVV), are looking forward to this exciting sports festival, which is being realized with the support of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia and other partners. There is good news for fans: ticket sales for the European Championship are scheduled to start at the end of this year.

The support of personalities like Dr. Stephan Keller, who praises the city's infrastructure for international events, and DVV President Markus Dieckmann, who emphasizes the anticipation of the events, make it clear that big plans are being made in Düsseldorf for the sports year 2025.

So there's a lot to look forward to for sports fans in the city and beyond. Get ready for exciting days full of sport, competition and team spirit!