• Germany edition
Sport
2012 London Olympics
Photo: DPA

Lack of medals in London 'a false start'

Published: 30 Jul 12 10:31 CET | Print version
Online: http://www.thelocal.de/sport/20120730-44053.html

"Even the Kazakhs are laughing at us," the Bild mass circulation newspaper screamed on its front page under an Olympics medal table showing sporting powerhouse Germany with nothing to show for its efforts.

"Man (and woman), are we bad," adds the paper, Europe's most widely read, following a string of disappointments culminating in world record-holder swimmer Paul Biedermann's failure to qualify for the 400m freestyle final.

"It's a total false start in London. Instead of the five or six medals we expected, we've got none. Even the Kazakhs are laughing. They've already got two golds," complained Bild.

"While everyone else is celebrating, we've just got long faces."

Tongue-in-cheek, the paper went on to claim that US swimming sensation Ryan Lochte's gold medal in the 400m medley "belongs a bit to us," noting that he has a German great-great-great grandfather.

The Frankfurter Rundschau newspaper also ran with "false start" on its front page, noting that German athletes had until now been "below expectations."

"Medals, where are you?" asked news magazine Spiegel on its website.

It quotes the head of the German Olympic Sports Confederation, Michael Vesper, saying: "We are not satisfied and we are disappointed. It would have been better if we had had some success, but you can't change what's happened."

Germany was fifth in the medal table at the last Olympic Games in Beijing, netting 16 gold, 10 silver and 15 bronze medals.

And the press continued to hold out hope, noting that their first medal in China also came on the third day.

"It's got to happen sometime," cried Spiegel.

AFP/hc

What do you think? Leave your comment below.


Your comments about this article:

11:22 July 30, 2012 by BobbyBaxter
German sports seems to be going the same way as the football team - full of promise and delivering nothing.
15:02 July 30, 2012 by DOZ
Get together with Canada and have a Whine and Cheese Party. LOL
16:53 July 30, 2012 by Berlin fuer alles
Failing empire. Just as well the rest of the EU are there to bail out Germany's export market by taking on Austerity measures.
19:34 July 30, 2012 by bwjijsdtd
One German said it best ... "We have spent so much bailing out Greece and Sspain, be have no Euros left to pay the judges ..." LOL
20:40 July 30, 2012 by Berlin fuer alles
Yes, Germany normally has the best judges money can buy.
22:23 July 30, 2012 by friedenstempel
Who cares? What to get out of medals anyway?
00:01 July 31, 2012 by Berlin fuer alles
honour and glory and sense of achievement. Could all sit at home and play tidlywinks instead though. Doubt that would appeal to the TV ratings.
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