Once gold, once silver: To say goodbye to four title hamsters, Germany’s hockey aces at least once again cleared a trophy at the home European Championships in Hamburg. With six wins in six games, the DHB women confidently marched through to their 16th triumph under the roof of the hall.
“I’m very proud. They’re a crazy team,” said national coach Valentin Altenburg after the 5-4 (1-2) win over the Netherlands in the final. On Sunday, the DHB men missed their 17th indoor European title against Austria. Despite being in the lead, they narrowly lost to the indoor world champion 1:2 (1:1).
“It’s great that it worked. And then in front of your own fans. A few more tears will surely be shed at the party. And next week I probably won’t have a voice,” said Janne Müller-Wieland, who like Lisa Altenburg and croaked Franzisca and Tobias Hauke will now end their successful international careers. Together the quartet has far more than 1000 international matches under its belt, the record-breaking international Tobi Hauke extended his record to 375 international matches.
“It’s a shame that it wasn’t enough again,” said the disappointed Hauke, who would have liked to expand his trophy collection again after the Olympic victories in 2008 and 2012 as well as bronze in 2016 and various international titles in Hamburg. Since the DHB men are contesting the Field World Championships in India in January 2023, in contrast to the women represented with the A selection, only a strengthened junior team was at the start in Hamburg. Paul Doesch’s lead (10th minute/seven meters) was not enough for him in front of 3,400 visitors in the Hamburg sports hall. The hoped-for title defense failed, as double goal scorer Fabian Unterkircher (19th/39th) became the match winner of the Austria team.
But the DHB women not only cheered about the European Championship coup: in her last appearance on the big stage, Lisa Altenburg got the crown of the best scorer with 14 goals. Nathalie Kubalski was honored as the best goalkeeper and Pia Maertens as the best tournament player.
