Find out more about Munich 2022 | Eleven days, nine European championships and a diverse festival - get the latest news from the event.

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Our festival The Roofs will accompany the European Championships Munich 2022 for eleven days with a colourful and free programme. Click here for the preview of Day 1.

The Roofs Day 1: powerful sound and in love with home

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Published on 11 August 2022What started with a bang at yesterday's opening is only really beginning today: Our festival The Roofs accompanies the European Championships Munich 2022 for eleven days with a colourful and free programme. Starting today, an exciting children's and workshop programme kicks things off each morning. The evening is then all about magic: We welcome the powerful orchestra of the Munich Symphony Orchestra on the Central Roof.&nbsp;At the Heimat Roof you can celebrate your love for Bavaria as a home.Childhood memories at Olympiapark! From 11 o’clock&nbsp;we invite the little ones to a vibrant children's programme on our Kids Roof. Haven't had time to go to the hairdresser for a long time? Then pay our reading hairdresser a visit. Even children can afford his payment, because he cuts your hair if you read him a story. And everyone who has tired legs after all that romping around on the extensive Olympic grounds can try out children's yoga. Find out how flexible you actually are - and how good it feels to consciously let your soul dangle.&nbsp;

AN AFTERNOON FOR EVERYONE

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After the kids reached peak relaxation following yoga, it's your turn. At our workshop on the Creative Roof, you will learn how a cocoa opening ceremony works, a centuries-old ritual that is considered the ultimate heart opener. With an open heart you are then ready for the poetry slam, where you can experience profound, literary texts delivered as rap. The afternoon and early evening are already waiting for music. How about the dark, melodic sounds from the set of Munich DJ Francesca? Her tracks range from downtempo to melodic techno to driving beats - depending on the mood and setting.&nbsp;

MUNICH CLASSIC MEETS DIAMOND

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Have you already gotten into the groove with Francesca on the Golden Beach Roof? Then grab your friends and pay a visit to the Central Roof. Because here tonight from 8 o’clock in the evening it will really sound powerful. The Munich Symphony Orchestra, together with Oimara, do the honours and combine classic with dialect. At the beginning of the concert, the orchestra will play pieces by Dvorák, Brahms, Smetana and Bizet. Then the programme changes and the Bavarian singer-songwriter Oimara shows off his skills as a verbal acrobat and genre freestyler, all garnished with the melodic sounds of the Munich Symphony Orchestra.&nbsp;

FAST THROUGH THE NIGHT

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You think more Bavarian culture is not possible? This evening we will convince you of the opposite. At our Heimat Roof we make Bavarian hearts beat faster. The musicians of HoamatBeat tempt you to sway, dream and sing along. It's faster on the stage of the Creative Roof. The Dresden Electrona and independent duo ÄTNA use the synthesizers so skilfully that nobody stands still. Anyone who likes The Knife will love ÄTNA.&nbsp;To keep track of the full spectacle, we recommend our Munich 2022 app for iOS or Android. Exciting background information, festival and competition guides, updates and much more await you with our digital tool.&nbsp;

Bayrische Musikanten spielen auf traditionellen Blasinstrumenten und in Tracht Musik.

Heimat Roof Musik

Our festival The Roofs will accompany the European Championships Munich 2022 for eleven days with a colourful and free programme. Click here for the preview of Day 1.

The sporting action kicks off at Munich 2022 with four sports on Thursday and the first medal decision in gymnastics.

Day 1 Preview: First medal up for grabs

Intro

Published on 11 August 2022Following a spectacular opening on Wednesday night which saw 55,000 people flock to Olympiapark to celebrate the start of the European Championships Munich 2022, the first sports venues open their doors on Thursday. Fans are in for a treat, with the first set of medals to be awarded in women’s artistic gymnastics.&nbsp;Follow all action in our <a href="https://www.munich2022.com/en/live-blog" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">live blog</a>.

Two in one

Gymnastics

The <a href="https://results.mun.mev.atos.net/ECM2022/en/results/artistic-gymnastics/daily-schedule-date=2022-08-11.htm" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">gymnastics</a> action in Olympiahalle kicks off with the senior women taking the stage in the qualifications which will also serve as individual all-around final, determining the first champion to be crowned at Munich 2022. The top eight teams advance to Saturday’s team final, while the best eight ranked gymnasts on each apparatus (maximum of two per country) qualify to Sunday’s apparatus finalsThe German hopes will lie with 2020 Olympians Elisabeth Seitz, Pauline Schäfer, Sarah Voss, Kim Bui alongside Emma Malewski. For 33-year old Bui, the European Championships at home will mark her last competition after a remarkable career including three Olympic Games. “I’m quite excited and also super emotional,” Bui said. “It’s hard to put it into words. It’s my last event and I just want to enjoy it and hope to get as far as possible.”For the full preview, please click <a href="https://assets.munich2022.com/default/0001/05/6d3ef4add9e79fd0b3b11a59915ad5ee01850782.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a>.

Taking to the waters 

Rowing

The quality of the athletes competing at the Olympic Regatta Centre in Munich is emphasised by the very first event of any sport at the European Championships Munich 2022. Reigning world, European and Paralympic champion Birgit Skarstein (NOR) is the favourite for the PR1 women’s single sculls, which begins the <a href="https://results.mun.mev.atos.net/ECM2022/en/results/rowing/daily-schedule-date=2022-08-11.htm" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">European Rowing Championships</a> with a race for lanes.Skarstein will compete against European and Paralympic silver medallist Moran Samuel (ISR), European bronze medallist Anna Sheremet (UKR) and relative newcomer Manuela Diening (GER). “Rowing in Europe is very, very strong. And many big teams arrive – able-body and para. Germany is known for good rowers – women and men. Most of my leading competitors are Europeans,” Samuel said in an <a href="https://www.munich2022.com/de/paralympische-rudermedaillengewinnerin-moran-samuel" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">interview</a> last month.As the first major championships since the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games, Munich will test crews at the start of the lead-in to the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris. Rowing is one of two Munich 2022 sports to include para events, with the other being canoe sprint.Read the full preview <a href="https://assets.munich2022.com/default/0001/05/a469550e2bfa8dc1ca26636eb82e0a76f2e56ab0.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a>.

Track or park?

BMX Freestyle

Cycling fans will be spoiled for choice, as the beloved sport is featuring four disciplines in the Bavarian state capital. <a href="https://results.mun.mev.atos.net/ECM2022/en/results/cycling-bmx-freestyle/daily-schedule-date=2022-08-11.htm" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">BMX freestyle park</a> is the youngest discipline in the long tradition of competitive cycling. It’s not about speed or getting to the line first, but about s bike-handling, kill, guts, style and grace. In the third European Championships, the riders will show their spectacular tricks with splendid views of Munich’s grandeur and the Alps as a scenic backdrop. Competition will be held from 11-13 August, with qualification heats for both genders on the first day, followed by the women’s finals on 12 August and the men’s finals on 13 August.

Track cycling

The home crowd will have something to look out for, as <a href="https://results.mun.mev.atos.net/ECM2022/en/results/cycling-track/daily-schedule-date=2022-08-11.htm" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">track cycling</a> gets underway with the team event qualification races on the first of seven exciting competition days at Messe München. The German ladies are reigning world champions in both the team pursuit and team sprint events. At the Tokyo Olympic Games in 2021 the German ladies Franziska Brauße, Lisa Brennauer, Lisa Klein and Mieke Kröger broke the world record in all three races on their way to gold.Germany will face tough competition from Great Britain, who also broke the world record and held it briefly during the Tokyo competition. World champions Italy are also in the mix for a medal. Read up on the full day 1 action in <a href="https://assets.munich2022.com/default/0001/05/73d70f6161e3f1dc1768cb51d48e2e37fdbc54e2.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">BMX freestyle park</a> and <a href="https://assets.munich2022.com/default/0001/05/21a45d8904a3801eac55612c9c9ee0cde32afff3.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">track cycling</a>.

Gold medal chasers

Sport climbing

Janja Garnbret (SLO) is set to be the star of <a href="https://results.mun.mev.atos.net/ECM2022/en/results/sport-climbing/daily-schedule-date=2022-08-11.htm" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">sport climbing</a> at the European Championships Munich 2022, with the Olympic champion among a stellar field of 200 climbers from 26 nations that will compete for eight sets of medals at Königsplatz in the centre of the host city. The Slovenian ace won gold in the women’s Olympic combined at Tokyo 2020 to become the first woman to win Olympic gold in the sport, but she is chasing a first European Championships medal having won silvers in 2015 and 2017. The 23-year-old has been in good form on the World Cup circuit with four wins from four lead competitionsThursday will see the women’s lead qualification, while boulder qualification is on the men’s agenda. Check out the full preview <a href="https://assets.munich2022.com/default/0001/05/c6fec4e9c388c7f464f8fc90b075eb351fc9c57c.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a>.

Kim Bui of Team Germany competes on balance beam during the Women's All-Around Final on day six of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games

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The sporting action kicks off at Munich 2022 with four sports on Thursday and the first medal decision in gymnastics.

Marteria, Sportfreunde Stiller and Moop Mama open the European Championships Munich 2022 and our festival The Roofs in Olympiapark.

Opening in style: Sportfreunde Stiller, Marteria and Moop Mama

Published on 10 August 2022 The biggest multi-sport event since the 1972 Olympic Games: Top international sport meets a colourful festival to create a unique event experience. It finally kicks off tonight at 18:30 with our opening, which gives you a taste of the coming 11 days and with its line-up awakens the anticipation for The Roofs. Local celebrities meet Nordic coolness, brass sounds meet clever rhymes, indie rock meets rap beats. And the sky shines above the rooftops of the city.So often the Sportfreunde Stiller have created the perfect soundtrack to great emotional moments in life - and especially in sport. Now the time has come, again: ARD will use the new single "Spektakulär" in its sports broadcasts of the European Championships from 11-21 August in Munich in programme trailers and in its reporting. A bow to all athletes and their achievements - it couldn't be more fitting - from the Munich-based boys of Sportfreunde Stiller. It will be "spectacular"!&nbsp;

Olympiapark, the place where roofs have come to symbolise the inevitability of change through time. On this evening, we stop time, just let ourselves go and surrender to the magical atmosphere. Introduced by the sunset over the roofs of Munich that makes the sky glow, challenging brass beats fill the air alongside the catchy sounds of our big surprise band. The icing on the cake: Admission is free.&nbsp;

MUNICH DOESN’T SLEEP

Moop Mama will be in da house. On this evening, together with the Munich brass band, we will bring "the city that always sleeps" to a boil. In their song, they sing about their hometown, about the "Millionendorf, das gern ne Weltstadt wäre (village of millions that would like to be a cosmopolitan city)". With our opening, Munich turns into the metropolis it’s been dreaming of, because tonight the city meets in Olympiapark, toasting to an evening to remember.&nbsp;&nbsp;Want more guaranteed catchy tunes? "Wir bleiben wach, bis die Wolken wieder lila sind (We'll stay awake until the clouds are purple again)," Marteria belts out in one of his best-known songs, speaking from the heart. Tonight our hearts are beating to the beat. The Rostock rapper captures the spirit of the times with his lyrics and his sound, critical, rousing, melancholic, with a high to find yourself in his texts. And here on our stage today.&nbsp;

A MAGICAL NIGHT

The classical sounds of Marie Spaemann could seem like a break, but no, the Viennese musician transforms the Central Roof into the perfect stage for her wonderful string instrument – her cello. Paired with soft electro beats and orchestral accompaniment, the cellist and singer-songwriter combines soul and jazz with a touch of classical music. Goosebumps will accompany you from the moment the bow touches the strings until the last echo of sound fades, and that’s a promise.&nbsp;&nbsp;The opening invites you to simply let yourself go, to dream, to marvel, and to spend an incomparable evening with your friends and family. The magic of the night will envelop you: on the Central Roof with the GOP Varieté Theatre, which will delight you with charm, wit and aesthetics. Or directly on the grounds, when you take a walk and encounter larger-than-life DUNDU puppets, walking acts, stilt walkers and colourful light spectacles. We'll transform Olympiapark into a fairy tale show for you. Are you really in Munich, yes or no? Here, borders blur, worlds merge. This is where your summer dream 2022 begins. <a href="https://www.munich2022.com/de/opening" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Further information and the detailed schedule can be found here</a>.

Sportfreunde Stiller

Marteria, Sportfreunde Stiller and Moop Mama open the European Championships Munich 2022 and our festival The Roofs in Olympiapark.

Find out here how and where you can follow the nine European Championships and our The Roofs festival at Munich 2022.

The ultimate overview over all Munich 2022 channels 

Published on 9 August 2022&nbsp;We've been waiting a long time, and now the time has finally come: the biggest multi-sport event since the 1972 Olympic Games is about to begin. Olympiapark and the whole of Munich and its surrounding area will stand in the spotlight for 11 days with top-class sport and a colourful festival. It all kicks off on 10 August at 18:30 with our official opening. We have put together some information for you so that you can be perfectly prepared for the spectacle, which will last till 21 August. Follow your stars and favourite sport - and all the mischief our mascot Gfreidi is up to.1. How can you follow along? Streams and tickets&nbsp;&nbsp;One of the most important things we want you to know: The Roofs Festival is free, you don't need tickets, you can just cycle or take the public transport to the respective venues and have fun. You can buy tickets for the ticketed Munich 2022 sporting events online or on-site at the sales points. If you can't be there in person, you can follow all the medal events on TV, radio and live streams. We have compiled a list of all public broadcasters - Europe-wide! Whether you drop by or take a peek - it's worth watching in any case! <a href="https://www.munich2022.com/en/list-of-broadcasters" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Here is the link to the broadcaster list.</a>&nbsp;2. How do you find your way around Munich 2022? Your app, your agenda&nbsp;&nbsp;With the Munich 2022 Official Event App you can keep an eye on all the results, medals and records, personalise your agenda for the next eleven days and get exclusive insights into the biggest summer spectacle of the past 50 years. You can easily download the free app from the iOS App Store and Android Play Store. <a href="https://www.munich2022.com/en/app" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">You can find more information here.</a>

3. Where do you get constant updates about what's happening? Our live blog&nbsp;&nbsp;Minute-by-minute coverage of decisive moments, behind-the-scenes from the competitions, exclusive statements and important updates from the venues - we offer all this and much more on our live blog, which we maintain in German and English. For you, we'll be hitting the keys, compiling the best moments from Munich 2022 and The Roofs, accompanying you at the event with wit, charm and first-hand content. <a href="https://www.munich2022.com/en/live-blog" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Click here to go directly to the live blog</a>.4. How do you keep track of social media? Our social media channels&nbsp;&nbsp;You can expect concentrated social power on our Instagram channel, Facebook and Twitter. Our team will provide you with witty and inspiring content for all 11 eventful days at Munich 2022. On top of that, we welcome two absolute social professionals with us: two female influencers report on our sporting and The Roofs events.&nbsp;

Likeable, Bavarian, music lover: Sophie Grund 

Sophie Grund accompanies our The Roofs festival and gives insights into the diverse free programme on site. The BAYERN 3 radio presenter and native Bavarian takes you with her as she explores the total of 11 Roofs in Olympiapark, Königsplatz and the Olympic Regatta Centre and posts on our The Roofs Instagram channel. This makes her not only a likeable guide for our festival, but an essential part of it. Music also plays a big role in Sophie's life: when she's not in the BAYERN 3 studio, she simply grabs her own mic in her spare time. Because she can sing too!&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/fiechen/ " rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Follow Sophie on her personal Instagram account</a>Please note that Sophie will be reporting in her stories in German.&nbsp;

Fitness queen with reporter qualities: Imke Salander

European top-class sport up close: With fitness influencer Imke Salander you look behind the scenes of the European Championships Munich 2022. The Hamburg native comes from athletics, so sport is an integral part of her everyday life. Imke reports for us as a sports reporter from the European Championships and provides exclusive insights into the sporting event of superlatives. With charm and effervescence, she captures special moments for us, whether talking to athletes and fans or directly from the competitions. With Imke Salander, you will experience Munich 2022 from a completely different perspective: fun with a certain something.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/imkesalander/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Follow Imke on her personal Instagram account</a>

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You can't get more social content than that! But the secret Munich 2022 star is our Gfreidi, isn't it? Follow us on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/munich2022/ " rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Munich 2022</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/theroofs_munich/ " rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Roofs</a> on Instagram. Or find out more on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ECMunich2022 " rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://mobile.twitter.com/ECMunich2022 " rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Twitter</a>. 5. How can you show your fan love for Munich 2022? Merch to your heartbeat!&nbsp;&nbsp;Eleven days, nine sports, 177 gold medals, countless moments of happiness - and you are right there. To remember this experience forever, we have great merchandise for you: Hoodies, T-shirts, caps, key rings - and our beloved mascot Gfreidi as a plush animal. You can easily buy our articles online. We also welcome you to our pop-up store at Marienplatz and Superstore in Olympiapark, where click &amp; collect is also possible. <a href="https://www.shop.munich2022.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Click here to go directly to our online shop.</a>&nbsp;

Verschiedene Screenshots der Munich 2022 App

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Find out here how and where you can follow the nine European Championships and our The Roofs festival at Munich 2022.

Para competitions and inclusion at Munich 2022: In this guide we explain all you need to know about paracanoe and para rowing.

Guide to paracanoe and para rowing

Published on 8 August 2022By Nadine RegelEuropean Championships Munich 2022 wants to bring people together and make sport and culture an experience for everyone. Inclusion is of great importance to us - and we want to lead by example. For the first time, two Paralympic sports will be part of the events at the European Championships: Paracanoe and para rowing. It is by no means customary that para sports are included in multi-sport events. Which is sufficient reason to take a closer look at the two sports.

German medal hope: Felicia Laberer

One of the most promising athletes from a German perspective is paracanoeist Felicia Laberer from Sportclub Berlin-Grünau. For six years, the 21-year-old was a swimmer until switching to paracanoe in 2018. The Berlin sportsperson has congenital unilateral dysplasia and dysmelia of the lower right limb, which means her right leg is significantly shortened. What fascinates her about her sport? "The connection with nature, it's really nice to be on the water, especially in summer," she says. Besides, you can push your body to the limit and "push boundaries", she adds. Laberer has already achieved that several times in her short competitive career: in 2021 she claimed gold at the European Championships in Poznań and the two-time German champion won bronze at the Paralympic Games as well.&nbsp;

Paracanoe competitions are held in two racing boat classes, the single kayak (K1) with double-bladed paddle and the outrigger canoe va'a (V1) with stand-up paddle. An outrigger canoe is a boat to which a pontoon, in other words a float, is attached at the side to stabilise the boat. In addition, the boats are much wider than those used by canoeists without a disability. The courses are fixed in length and the distance in all competitions is 200 metres. Paracanoe celebrated its premiere on the world's biggest sports stage at the 2016 Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro.

A good sign for inclusion

Paracanoeists are divided into three different starting classes depending on the movement capabilities of their legs, arms, and trunk. KL1 athletes can only use their arms and/or shoulders to apply power. The KL2 class includes athletes who can use their torso and arms, and in KL3 the legs are also used - as is the case with Laberer. The seat and the paddle are individually adapted to their needs. For the Berlin athlete, this means that her single kayak is equipped with a footboard on the right so that she can build up enough pressure with her leg.For her, it is "a good sign for inclusion" that her sport can compete at European Championships Munich 2022. "We as a team fight a great deal for equality," says Laberer: "We don't want to be defined only by our disability, because we perform just as well and train just as hard as the others."

Power over a 2000 metre distance: Para rowing

Para rowing was first held at the 2002 World Rowing Championships in Seville and has been part of the competition programme since the 2008 Paralympic Games in Beijing. The Paralympic version is also called "adaptive rowing", as the boat material and equipment are adapted to the athletes’ physical impairments. In Paralympic competition, athletes compete in three boat classes depending on their functional capabilities: Women's and men's singles, mixed doubles, and mixed coxed fours. Races are held over 2000 metres in all disciplines.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.munich2022.com/en/paralympic-rowing-moran-samuel" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">In an exclusive interview with Moran Samuel, PR1 silver medallist at the Tokyo Paralympic Games, we find out more about the life of professional para-athletes.</a>

Scull or oar, that’s the question

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Depending on the rowing technique and type of oars, rowing boats can be divided into two categories, scull and oar boats. In "classic" rowing, rowing with sculls, each rower is responsible for a pair of sculls, e. g. one scull per side, and the rowing movements must be largely synchronised. When rowing with oars, only single bars are used, which the rowers hold with both hands. In addition, the respective type of disability is decisive for the classification into a starting class. A distinction is made between PR1, PR2 and PR3 - depending on the limitations with regard to legs, trunk as well as arms and shoulders, depending on whether they can row only with the strength from the shoulders and arms, the upper body and with the use of the entire body.&nbsp;

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In addition, athletes with impaired vision are also allowed to compete at the Paralympics, namely in the mixed fours - like the German para rower Marc Lembeck, whose vision is approximately ten per cent due to hereditary reasons. He is very pleased about the big stage presented at Munich 2022: "We para athletes don't receive this much attention so often," says the man from Solingen. And he continues: "European Championships Munich 2022 are a huge sporting event where the whole of Europe will come together. Inclusive services will make it accessible to everyone, so that people with and without disabilities can experience this event together." A special opportunity for inclusion in Germany.

Competitions at Munich 2022

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Twelve competitions in paracanoe and four in para rowing complete the sports programme of the multi-sport event, so we can look forward to 177 medal decisions in the Bavarian capital. &nbsp;The following 12 events will be held in paracanoe:VL1 200m women &amp; menVL2 200m women &amp; menVL3 200m women &amp; menKL1 200m women &amp; menKL2 200m women &amp; menKL3 200m women &amp; men&nbsp;In para rowing the following decisions are approaching:PR1 women’s &amp; men’s single scullsPR2 Mixed doublesPR3 Mixed coxed four

Inclusion at Munich 2022

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Inclusion is a special topic for us, which we live by on our festival site, but also implement consistently in our communication. On our barrier-free website you will find content in ‘Leichte Sprache’, which is a specifically regulated simple language. Its purpose is to make information easier to understand for people with a limited knowledge of German. Please note that ‘Leichte Sprache’ is only available in German. Additionally, videos with important information are filmed in German sign language. All medal decisions will also be made available to spectators with visual impairments as audio descriptions - both on-site at the events with the help of mobile, inductive hearing aids and in a livestream for at home. Trained volunteers will also be available to our guests as contact persons on the entire site. During the medal ceremonies there will also be volunteers who can communicate in German sign language and who will be happy to help with finding a place or with any other questions or concerns. All services can be booked free of charge online via a form at <a href="https://www.munich2022.com/en/inclusive-services" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">munich2022.com/en/inclusive-services</a>.At each of our events there are designated places for wheelchair users (plus appropriate places for the respective accompanying person) with optimal visibility and escape route conditions as well as sufficient space for manoeuvres. In Olympiapark, people with mobility impairments also have the opportunity to borrow electric scooters free of charge at the Olympiazentrum stop (opening hours from 09:00 to 23:30). The time limit for borrowing an E-scooter is six hours. Click here for more information: <a href="https://www.munich2022.com/en/accessibility-inclusion" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.munich2022.com/en/accessibility-inclusion</a>&nbsp;

Dominik Siemenroth and Marc Lembeck of Germany compete in the PR3 Men's Pair PR3 M2- Final A during Day 2 of the 2019 World Rowing Cup III. They are on their way towards the finish line and are both concentrating hard.

Para rowing Marc Lembeck

Para competitions and inclusion at Munich 2022: In this guide we explain all you need to know about paracanoe and para rowing.

Dimitrij Ovtcharov is one of the best table tennis players in the world. After difficult months with injuries, the Ukraine war and a change of club, he is now looking forward to Munich 2022: his chance to win a third gold medal at a European Championship.

Table tennis is a family affair for Dima Ovtcharov

Published on 5 August 2022 By Nadine Regel The apple doesn't fall far from the tree, does it? Professional table tennis player Dimitrij Ovtcharov proves this thesis, his daughter however does not. Because the six-year-old girl likes many things, other than playing table tennis. "When we play together, it's only for two or three minutes, then she wants to go back to gymnastics or dancing," says the Olympic medallist in the interview and laughs: "The interest is very low, and I don't necessarily see her playing table tennis. The 33-year-old, on the other hand, takes after his father.&nbsp;Born in Kiev in 1988, he came to Germany with his parents in 1992. His father Mikhail was the Soviet individual table tennis champion in 1982 with 80 appearances in the national team. In the early nineties, he played for the second-division team Schwalbe Tündern, a district of Hameln in Lower Saxony. But his mother Tatjana, who holds an A-licence coaching certificate, also encouraged the young Dimitrij early on. Especially since his father didn't have much patience with his son in the beginning.&nbsp;

"It was only when I was about nine years old that my father coached me," says Ovtcharov. Initially, he had it in mind that his son would earn a little extra money with the sport in addition to his studies or school. As a schoolboy, "Dima", as he is called by his friends, actually wanted to deliver newspapers, which would have brought him 50 German marks. "Nobody expected that I would do so well playing table tennis," he admits. To this day, his father is his most important advisor. He would never make an important decision without him. The joint family effort bore fruit: Dimitrij Ovtcharov, who now lives in Düsseldorf, is considered one of the best table tennis players in the world, winning six medals for Germany in four Olympic participations. His current rankings: number one in Germany, third in Europe, number seven in the world. "I have found so much joy in the successes I have worked so hard for," says Ovtcharov.&nbsp;That makes it all the harder to lose, he says. Probably the worst defeat of his career so far came in the summer of 2021 at the Olympic Games in Tokyo. Ovtcharov lost against the Chinese Ma Long in the semi-finals, the best player in the world, with 9:11 in the seventh set. His dreams of gold were shattered with the last ball caught by the net, in the end it was bronze. He almost did not take part in the bronze medal match, but his father had to talk him into it.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Rough path to Munich 2022

In retrospect, however, that was only the start of an eventful period. A few months after his Olympic defeat, he twisted his ankle and needed surgery. As a result, he missed the World Championships in the USA. In February this year, he reinjured his ankle, had to take another break and go through the rehabilitation process again. "Rehab means a lot of patience," he says: "Especially in the beginning, when you can't move much yet, sit at home a lot, walk on crutches, that's very depressing for someone who is otherwise always on the move."&nbsp;At the same time, Ovtcharov saw a war break out in his country of birth, organised the escape of his 85-year-old, sick grandmother and helped other refugee families to start over in Düsseldorf. In April he terminated his contract with the Russian club Gazprom Fakel Orenburg, where he had played successfully for 12 years.

Table tennis superstars

In the ZDF Sportstudio in May, he then sadly reported on the death of his grandmother and at the same time commented on his departure from Russia: "It was clear that it could no longer continue in Orenburg, because you have to take a clear position," said the 33-year-old: "It hurt me from a sporting point of view, but sport has unfortunately become political."&nbsp;There was hardly any time to take a deep breath in the past months, so the focus back on sport came just in time. First, he needed a new club. He landed at the club that the SZ called "The best 1b in the world": Ovtcharov is under contract with the first-division club TTC Neu-Ulm, which signed four world-class players for the Champions League season: In addition to the player from Düsseldorf, <a href="https://www.munich2022.com/en/truls-moregardh-on-throwing-rackets-hercules-pose-and-goals" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">20-year-old Truls Möregårdh, for example, who "is one of the up-and-coming young stars," says Ovtcharov</a>. The Swede is the current number one on the European ranking list.But at the moment he is being interviewed in Munich, with the venue of the European Championships behind him, the Rudi-Sedlmayer-Halle, designed like an arena, a table tennis table in the middle surrounded by thousands of seats. "I would love to start playing right away," says Ovtcharov with a broad grin. "I'm very happy that the European Championship is in Germany and then in Munich, one of my favourite cities," he adds.

Nine sports under one roof

And he also thinks the multi-sport format is great, it has something "of a mini-Olympics or the European Games, where you also get an insight into other sports," he says. Triathlon is something he would like to try out after his table tennis career. "I've already met Jan Frodeno a few times, fascinating sport," he says. He also likes beach volleyball because, unlike table tennis, you play outside in the sunshine. You get good feelings when you're in the sun and competing for medals. He also has positive feelings when he thinks about his family, his wife, the former Swedish national youth table tennis player Jenny Mellström, and his children. He recently became a father for the second time, this time a son. That immediately stirs the imagination: Could his son perhaps be the offspring that takes after his father, the apple that stays close to the tree?&nbsp;

In any case, youth development is very important to him, as he emphasises in the interview. He sees it in his daughter. "I often take her to the gym for training. Then I set up a few exercises for her, and she tries gymnastic tricks. Afterwards she is always happy and balanced," says Ovtcharov. As a young athlete, one is very dependent on support, which helped him a lot during his school years. Therefore, he says, it is an honour for him to also support the Munich 2022 project <a href="https://www.munich2022.com/en/future-class-of-22" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Future Class of 22</a>. "In the end, young talent is our future," says Dimitrij Ovtcharov. A sentence that resonates.In our Future Class of 22 project, children and young people can follow in the footsteps of their great role models and get a taste of the European Championship themselves.&nbsp;Do you want to serve on the same sand as Sandra Ittlinger and Clemens Wickler? Play table tennis in the Rudi-Sedlmayer-Halle? Munich 2022 makes it possible!

Dimitrij Ovtcharov im Viertelfinalspiel bei den Olympischen Spielen in Tokio.

Tischtennis Ovtcharov

Dimitrij Ovtcharov is one of the best table tennis players in the world. After difficult months with injuries, the Ukraine war and a change of club, he is now looking forward to Munich 2022: his chance to win a third gold medal at a European Championship.

Table tennis is a family affaire for Dima Ovtcharov

We talked to the two Ukrainian elite athletes Maryan Zakalnytskyy and Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk on what sport and the European Championships Munich 2022 mean to them in this time of turmoil.

Ukrainian athletics stars speak on the importance of sport

Diverse, sustainable, innovative, authentic, united, passionate, and considerate – these are our core values. They are close to our hearts and guide us, as we are looking to bridge the past and the future and leave an inspiring legacy to all participants, the City of Munich and future sport events.With that said, we talked to the two Ukrainian elite athletes Maryan Zakalnytskyy and Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk on what sport and the European Championships Munich 2022 mean to them in this time of turmoil.

Maryan Zakalnytskyy, defending race walk champion

1. What does sport mean to you, and what can sport do for society?Sport is my lifestyle. I’ve devoted more than half of my life to it and cannot imagine my existence without it. Due to sport, I can show that I have a strong character. It helps me reach my objectives as well.Earlier, many people had explored Ukraine for themselves due to sports and the achievements of our athletes. But after February 24, the situation changed. Under these circumstances, every success and performance of Ukrainian athletes is a true statement. We show the unbroken spirit of our nation and inspire so many people worldwide, especially in our homeland.

2. In which race walking competition will you compete in Munich since the distances have changed? And how does that change your training compared to training for 50km?50 km was cancelled, so now we have to decide which distance to choose – 20 or 35 km. As a reigning 50km Race Walk European Champion, I have a wild card for 35 km. And to be honest, it would be a too rapid shift from 50 to 20 km. The speed range is enormous. I walked 1km for 4:30. For 35 km, I have to do it for 4:15, and for 20 km – even faster than four minutes. After the Tokyo 2020, I changed my coach and, as a result, the training plans. Now I do many specific exercises which I didn’t have earlier. We pay more attention to the technical side as well as the physical. We must prepare my body to be competitive at the international top level.So, now I’m preparing for the European Championships in Munich and 35 km. I wouldn’t say I like discussing the plans, but I have maximal goals. I aim to defend my title. The Ukrainian flag will be raised higher than the others in this case.3. What keeps you going during these hard times?When I won Gold in 2018, I was so motivated. My mother had her birthday that day. And I also walked with thoughts about my grandfather. He supported me during my sports career, but he was dying and didn’t see my victory. During the race, I remembered him and the words he told me so often. When I returned home, I went with a medal to the cemetery to thank him for everything. A big part of that medal also belongs to him.Now there is a war in my country. I know that our army is powerful, and they can win. My brother, who was a role model for me in sports when we were younger, is also among our defenders. I know that at this moment I can be more helpful in sports. And I’d lay down my life to win this title and glorify Ukraine. My motivation is also my family and close people. They always support me so much.

I still have excellent relations with my first coach Mykola Bohonasiuk. He works with children and youth, and many years ago, when he felt my level was higher, he found another coach for me. He knew I would not leave him, so he decided to do it for me, and I appreciate it. Today I can discuss sports with him, our families, girls, and other subjects. I trust him.Today I work with Denys Tobias. He and his wife, 1500 m Olympic Bronze medallist in Beijing 2008 Nataliia Tobias, help me so much in these dark times. They take care of me like of a son. Nataliia even cooks for me so I would be healthy. I feel like a part of their family.All these people are motivating me for the highest result. I don’t want to be only a European Championships participant. I want to do my best. Because without them, I even couldn’t be in Turkey now and couldn’t prepare for Munich 2022. But some people wish me to lose. To be honest, they help me and motivate me even more.4. Share a piece of advice with our community, in which others might fall hard at times as well.Under any circumstances, don’t stop to move. Even drops of water can pierce rocks. After the dark period, you will see the light. If your goal is essential, no difficulties can stop you from reaching it. Find motivation in people and small things and read motivating books. I want to reach high results and become a role model for somebody. I want to motivate other people. And who knows, perhaps in the future, I will even write my book.5. Which of the other sports taking place at the European Championships Munich 2022 is your favourite?I have always admired triathletes. They are ironmen and ironwomen, for sure. And after Rio 2016, I also started to admire our athletes who compete in kayak and canoeing. So, I would highlight these two sports.

Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk, 2019 world silver medallist

1. What does sport mean to you, and what can sport do for society?For me, sport is a lifestyle! I have been active, restless, and fast since my childhood. My energy was enough for the whole family. Therefore, the sport has become the meaning of my life, the opportunity to do things that I love and bring me maximum satisfaction.2. Please tell us about your goals for the 2022 athletics season, especially in Munich.&nbsp;This season will undoubtedly be unique because it combines the World Championships and the European Championships in one summer. Therefore, my goals for this crazy season are maximum, as usual.I want to perform at the European Championships in two ways and achieve the desired goals because now, like never before, we need to bring more optimism to our country and people. I dream of medals that will help Ukrainians keep their spirit up and motivate them to fight and confidently go to victory!3. What keeps you going during these hard times?It is complicated to say what is the best support for me now because the war is always unsettled. It is so tough mentally and influences my physical condition. I would say that my most considerable support is my family. They always do their best to help me keep in shape and move forward!

4. Share a piece of advice with our community, in which others might fall hard at times as well.Even in the darkest times, try to appreciate every day of your life and enjoy everything you do to the fullest!5. Which of the other sports taking place at the European Championships Munich 2022 is your favourite?Athletics is my queen. But there is also a room in my heart for swimming because my husband is a swimmer. At the European Championships in Munich, I would also visit the beach volleyball competition.

5. Which of the other sports taking place at the European Championships Munich 2022 is your favourite?Athletics is my queen. But there is also a room in my heart for swimming because my husband is a swimmer. At the European Championships in Munich, I would also visit the beach volleyball competition.6. What made you want to start training triple jump as well? And will you go double in Munich?My coach and I repeatedly wanted to try the triple jump, but we always had to postpone this idea for some reason. After the Olympic Games in Tokyo, we had time for this experiment during the indoor season. And it turned out to be quite successful! We knew we could show a high result, but the question is, how long can I jump. So, we plan to combine the two events in Munich.I also look forward to the European Championships because I like Germany very much. The crowd is always excellent, and we have fantastic support. You have a crazy atmosphere in the best sense of this word, and I love it.

6. What made you want to start training triple jump as well? And will you go double in Munich?My coach and I repeatedly wanted to try the triple jump, but we always had to postpone this idea for some reason. After the Olympic Games in Tokyo, we had time for this experiment during the indoor season. And it turned out to be quite successful! We knew we could show a high result, but the question is, how long can I jump. So, we plan to combine the two events in Munich.I also look forward to the European Championships because I like Germany very much. The crowd is always excellent, and we have fantastic support. You have a crazy atmosphere in the best sense of this word, and I love it.

Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk of Ukraine celebrates winning silver at the 2019 World Championships.

WM athletics Bekh-Romanchuk

We talked to the two Ukrainian elite athletes Maryan Zakalnytskyy and Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk on what sport and the European Championships Munich 2022 mean to them in this time of turmoil.

In our pop-up store at Marienplatz, the medals were presented 10 days before the start of the European Championships Munich 2022.

Platzhalter

Unique, innovative and typically Bavarian

Published on 01 August 2022<h1 class="ql-align-justify">European Championships Munich 2022 present medal design</h1>The first golden moment came ten days before the start of European Championships Munich 2022. The medals were presented in Munich 2022’s own pop-up store on Marienplatz. inspired by a Munich original also convinced Alma Bestvater and Oliver Zeidler, who will be hunting for medals in sport climbing and rowing.When the gymnasts start the all-around finals from 11 August, they will also open the competition for gold, silver and bronze. A total of 177 sets of medals will be awarded in 11 days at European Championships Munich 2022. Around 4,700 athletes will compete in Munich in the nine Olympic sports of athletics, beach volleyball, canoe sprint, cycling, gymnastics, rowing, sport climbing, table tennis and triathlon for the highest continental award - European Championship gold. The organisers presented the design of the medals to the public for the first time on Monday in their own pop-up store on Munich's Marienplatz. The medal set will remain there for the public to admire until the conclusion of the event.

"European Championships Munich 2022 will soon captivate the whole of Munich. We are delighted that the medals have found a fitting place next to our city hall. These decorative pieces will make this extraordinary multi-sport event even more tangible for the people of Munich," says Munich Sports Mayor Verena Dietl.As well as personal advice for ticket buyers, the pop-up store also offers everything the merchandising heart desires - hoodies, shirts, caps, lanyards and pendants as well as gym bags and much more. On Monday, however, the focus was on precious metals.The medals were presented by Christina Hering, multiple German champion over 800 metres, and rowing World champion Oliver Zeidler, among others. The two Class of 22 athletes were already closer to gold, silver and bronze than their competitors - at least for a brief moment. Whether they will be able to hang one of the medals on their wall at home will become clear in just under two weeks. Zeidler wants to defend his European Championship title on 14 August and follow in his grandfather's footsteps. "The European Rowing Championships in Munich are a very special competition for me. 50 years after my grandfather's Olympic victory, I also get to row for gold at the Olympic Regatta Centre. I will give all I have to be victorious," says the reigning World and European Champion, looking forward to the upcoming defence of his title with great anticipation.The race for precious metal by 800-metre runner Hering will take place in her living room at Olympiastadion on 20 August. “It would be a dream to win a medal at my home European Championships. I really like them,“ said the local favourite with a keen eye on the design. But she also recognises: “The European competition is fierce.“

About 1,300 medals will be made. The design was realised in cooperation with Designworks. The BMW Group subsidiary, Official Premium Partner of the European Championships 2022, is active worldwide as a creative consultancy and provides clients from other industries with its knowledge of the complex automotive sector in joint projects. "I am very pleased that the European Championships are coming to Munich this year," says Holger Hampf, Head of Designworks. "When designing the medal, it was important for us to create a strong reference to the venue and make it a true icon of this multi-sport event," Hampf continues.The medal design result is not only something to be proud of: The different shades in the form of the world-famous tent roof construction of Olympiapark can be clearly felt and make the "Back to the Roofs" slogan of European Championships Munich 2022 palpable. The logo on the front is also imprinted and not embossed, as is usually the case. A basic demarcation between the sports is provided by the medal ribbons in the respective colours of the nine European Championships - Hering's medal ribbon, for example, would be orange, Zeidler's turquoise. The logo of the sport is engraved on the back, which is enhanced by the name of the medallists, making each medal unique.Florian Weber, Creative Director and Head of Event Presentation in the organising committee of European Championships Munich 2022, provides further insights into the design and implementation: "In developing the medal, we wanted to retain the distinctive triangular shape and at the same time pursue new paths both with and within this shape," explains Weber, adding an important feature: "The integration of the medal ribbon into the medal ensures unity. The crossed medal ribbon is a visual reference to the folded "arms" of the Munich pretzel. This also ensures that the medal does not twist and can always be worn correctly. And we were able to gain a prominent display area for the respective sports pictogram. The pictograms are also directly related to Munich in their historical development. In 1972, their predecessors were created by Otl Aicher for the Summer Olympic Games."Marion Schöne, Managing Director of Olympiapark München GmbH, adds: "The BMW Group and, in this case, those responsible at Designworks, are incredibly creative partners for European Championships Munich 2022. The joint development of the medal design has once again proven the excellent teamwork. The athletes who make it onto the winners' podium can definitely look forward to a very special medal.”

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European Championships Munich 2022 present medal design

Unique, innovative and typically Bavarian - European Championships Munich 2022 present medal design

Three-time Paralympian. Two-time Paralympic medallist. 2015 world champion. Mother of three. We talked to para rower Moran Samuel about her love for basketball, tragedy, never giving up, motherhood and goals for Munich 2022.

Paralympic rowing medallist and mother of three – Moran Samuel on uniting two lives

Published on 29 July 2022By Catiana RettenbergerThree-time Paralympian. Two-time Paralympic medallist. 2015 world champion. Mother of three. Moran Samuel has a lot to look back on. The Israeli para rower has worked hard and made many of her wildest dreams come true over the past years. We talked to the 40-year-old powerhouse about her love for basketball, tragedy, never giving up, motherhood and goals for Munich 2022.&nbsp;Around 2010 Samuel realised she wanted to be a Paralympian. But she knew that the Israeli wheelchair basketball team she was on was nowhere near qualifying, not for many years to come. Therefore, she met up with the Paralympic sports director to talk about her options. “After considering my abilities and my disability and the sports that are available, she thought that rowing is the sport for me.” The sports director herself was a former rower, and Samuel agreed with her conclusion for good reason. “I wanted to go to the Paralympic Games, but I had another interest. And that sports director became my wife a year later. And two years later I represented Israel in London in rowing.” One has to admit that Samuel’s goal setting and negotiation skills are impeccable.

Her wife, Limor Samuel Goldberg, has supported many female Paralympians and helped even more find their sport in the past 15 years. Samuel never thought rowing would become part of her life as she never tried it as an able-bodied person, but it has. To some rowing, just like running or swimming, is boring, “but for me it was the first time I was able to do sport outside of my wheelchair. And that was amazing – the freedom of that.”&nbsp;Growing up in an able body Samuel ran and played basketball and literally can’t remember a time when she wasn’t on the court. In the beginning she had to play with the boys as there was no girls team in her small hometown of Karmi’el. From the start she’s always known how to find a place for herself, even when there wasn’t any.&nbsp;

From basketball to para rowing

Nevertheless, she couldn’t have pictured the mental toll recovery takes. “I actually tried to avoid basketball as much as I could, because it was just heart-breaking. Through high school you wouldn’t find an anatomical heart in my chest. Mine was round, orange and bouncing up and down.” Within just two hours that ball had deflated to now lay still.&nbsp;And so, three years went by without her doing sport. But then Samuel got a call, informing her that the national wheelchair basketball team was being rebuilt and asking her if she was interested in joining said team.At just 15 she joined the women’s youth national basketball team, representing Israel. Later she completed her mandatory military service at the Israeli Air Force in a special section for elite athletes, before starting her bachelor’s degree in physical therapy. But her life didn’t go according to plan. In 2006 the elite athlete suffered a rare condition that would change her life forever. A sudden spinal stroke left her paralysed from chest down. “You cannot be prepared for things like that. It doesn’t matter how it happens. It’s really devastating. In two hours I was actually completely paralysed in 70 per cent of my body.” She underwent special surgery followed by a gruelling rehabilitation.&nbsp;On that journey she wondered who she was if not the able-bodied, tall, professional basketball player. But she found a different focus: “If I wanted to be a physiotherapist before then realising what it takes and what rehabilitation is all about made me even believe ‘I have to do it’.”&nbsp;

On her birthday in 2009, she drove two hours to get to her first practice since the injury. “In my memory, it’s all in slow motion with romantic music in the background and kind of a Hollywood-esque scene,” she tells me with a hearty laugh. And you cannot help but believe her. No wonder she’s a motivational speaker, she could move mountains with her words alone.&nbsp;Her journey from there is the sum of small steps. “Those small victories of not giving up, going back to school and going back to sport” added up. Soon Samuel had the goal to represent Israel at the Paralympics and started rowing in 2010. Nevertheless, she went on to play the European championships in wheelchair basketball in 2011 and 2013.

Para sport

There are three important points Samuel wanted to get across in our exclusive interview: 1) Everyone trains hard. 2) “Statistically, yes there are less athletes, but in order to get to the highest level you have to work really, really hard. It’s completely professional.” And 3) Para athletes “have the mission to make the world a better place for people with disabilities in general.” As there ought to be more possibilities to engage in sport activities, and better access to education and work and other aspects of life overall. Also, para sport needs its classifications just like in judo or weightlifting because sport needs to be just. And “it’s impossible to compare someone who uses legs to someone who cannot use their legs.”&nbsp;“I want people to know that Paralympians aren’t better than Olympians or the other way around. I just appreciate athletes.” Samuel herself is an athlete to appreciate. In 2015 she became world champion and was voted “Para Athlete of the Year” by World Rowing.Many assume all rowers mostly use their arms, but that’s a myth! <a href="https://www.munich2022.com/en/fintan-mccarthy-rowing-skibbereen-brothers" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Ireland’s Olympic gold medallist Fintan McCarthy said as much in our exclusive interview with him.</a> The myth happens to apply to rowers in the PR1 category, however. And “moving your boat using mostly your upper body is tough.”&nbsp;But that’s not the only added difficulty. “A single scull weighs 14 kilograms if you are an able body, and weighs 24 kilograms if you are para.” Because of the different composition of the boat, with it being wider and having pontoons on each side, para athletes need to move more weight with less muscle strands. “When I train with able body rowers, we do a short sprint where they can only use their arms and they are dead after 100 metres,” Samuel says with a grin.

Motherhood and medals 

When planning her life, Samuel never thought her sport career and dreams of becoming a mother would mix well, let alone mesh into each other seamlessly and happen all at once. But “I’m lucky to be married to a woman, so we can alternate. And she gave birth in 2016 to our first child, and he was born seven months before the Paralympic Games in Rio. One of my most amazing moments in life was having my medal and then bringing him to the podium.” After winning her first Paralympic medal, a bronze, she was crowned “Female Athlete of the Year” by the Israeli Paralympic Committee.&nbsp;She wanted to bear a child herself, too, but didn’t want to miss out on a world championship. So she competed two months pregnant at the 2017 World Rowing Championships – winning silver. “Actually, when I was pregnant it was much easier than doing it again four and a half months after giving birth.” Yes, you read that right! Samuel competed at the 2018 World Rowing Championships less than five months after giving birth.&nbsp;

Ten minutes before her warm-up for the final in 2018 her new-born daughter started crying at the top of her lungs and Samuel just knew her baby girl wouldn’t take the bottle; she’d prepared for her own mother to give her shortly. “So, I was breastfeeding behind this curtain in the rowing venue just 10 minutes before I’m leaving for my final. And then she fell asleep, and she was fine.” Samuel ended up being late for her warm-up and had to cut it short, but it was all worth it. At the start of her final all she could think of was “what an amazing life I have. And I’m able to do it, and just went full power to win another silver medal and went straight back to my family.”&nbsp;“I just want women to know it’s possible. You don’t have to choose.” Samuel is leading by example and has shown it is possible to combine a (sport) career and motherhood. In 2021 Samuel was given the honour to be a flag bearer for the Paralympic Games in Tokyo, where she went on to win silver.&nbsp;

Not the end - Munich 2022 

The European Championships are the big return to the competition scene after deciding to go for another Paralympic Games in December 2021. “I’m very excited, because it’s the first time that I’m part of a bigger event besides the Paralympic Games. Usually, you only have the rowing events.”&nbsp;“I’ve done three Paralympic Games and I have my medals in all different colours, I was a world champion already, so, what else?” The answer is obvious to Samuel: She wants her family to be by her side when she crosses the finish line for the last time.&nbsp;Until then she has to try to beat the best in Munich. “Rowing in Europe is very, very strong. And many big teams arrive – able-body and para. Germany is known for good rowers – women and men. Most of my leading competitors are Europeans. So, they’re all going to be there.” Quite literally as five out of the six finalists in Tokyo were from Europe, and they made up the top 5.&nbsp;

Abschnitt 10

“The best athlete in the world currently in my category for the last four years is Birgit Skarstein from Norway. She’s an amazing athlete.” The reigning European champion is one of the very few athletes to compete in summer and winter. Para skier in the snow, para rower in the water. So far, she has been to five Paralympic Games: Sochi, Rio, Pyeongchang, Tokyo, Beijing. Samuel will have to do her very best to keep up with the four-time world champion and world record holder.&nbsp;Besides these two, Germany’s Sylvia Pille-Steppat and Anna Sheremet from Ukraine will fight for the medal ranks. Samuel sees a bright future for the young Ukrainian native. “I think she’s going to surprise in Munich. I see her on the podium in the next couple of years.” Until then we ought to focus on Samuel herself. The best way to do so is in person. So, what are you waiting for? Get your tickets for the Olympic Regatta Centre now.

Moran Samuel para rower rowing

Three-time Paralympian. Two-time Paralympic medallist. 2015 world champion. Mother of three. We talked to para rower Moran Samuel about her love for basketball, tragedy, never giving up, motherhood and goals for Munich 2022.

This is a mood board picture of a crowd partying at night in front of a colourfully lit stage.

Central-Roof mood

Charlotte Worthington from Great Britain during BMX Women Qualifier of the Madrid Urban Sports 2022.

Cycling BMX Worthington

Janja Garnbret toppt eine der drei Boulder-Wände auf dem Weg zur olympischen Goldmedaille

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Unsere The Roofs-Festivalreporterin Sophie Grund genießt die Natur und lacht in die Kamera.

sophie grund festival reporter

Unsere Sportreporterin Imke Salander dehnt sich im roten Sportoutfit auf einem Tennis Court.

Imke Salander reporter

Parakanu-Athletin Felicia Laberer im Kajak auf dem Wasser.

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Dima Ovtcharov of Germany celebrates bronze at the Tokyo Olympic Games.

Table tennis Ovtcharov

Dimitrij Ovtcharov ist einer der besten Tischtennisspieler der Welt. Hier schlägt der Deutsche bei den Olympischen Spielen in Tokio auf.

Table tennis Ovtcharov Dima

Maryan Zakalnytskyy crosses the finish line of the 50km race walk at the 2018 European Championships, winning gold for Ukraine.

Zakalnytskyy race walk

Maryan Zakalnytskyy of Ukraine ompetes in the Men’s 50km Race Walk final during day two of 17th IAAF World Athletics Championships Doha 2019.

Zakalnytskyy race walking

Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk of Ukraine competes at the 2022 World Championships.

Bekh-Romanchuck triple jump

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Moran Samuel para rower basketball

Moran Samuel para rower portrait

Moran Samuel para rower

Moran Samuel of Israel celebrates her success at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games.