Athletics Competition in Europe - European champion Kaul aspires to join the 2028 Olympics as well.
Multiple reigning European decathlon champion Niklas Kaul anticipates an improved year for German track and field, though not all obstacles will be cleared during the Olympic season.
"We can't trick people into thinking we'll come back with 15 medals from Paris. But the overall picture should be better than it was after the World Championships in Budapest," Kaul commented to the German Press Agency. On Monday, Kaul will showcase his athletic prowess at the European Championships in Rome for his title defense.
The European Championships hold significant value for the 26-year-old -- not solely due to title defense. "The importance of the European Championships for me is indeed great -- not just because I'm defending my title," said Kaul, a student at USC Mainz.
Last year in Budapest, German athletes did not secure any medals. Kaul himself had ceased his decathlon prematurely. The former World Champion added that the team likely suffered fewer injury issues this time around.
"There are still numerous challenges ahead, however. One notable issue persists - that we cannot lead more promising talents into performance sport after high school. This is not a problem limited to athletics, but also present across the entire German sports landscape," Kaul explained.
While the Olympics in Paris this August are the season highlight for the two-time "Sportsman of the Year," Kaul has no intentions of letting his guard down. "I'd naturally love to win one of the three medals. But to achieve that, I have to perform my very best, or else I might not make it. However, I'm not concentrating on the Olympics yet; I must first tackle the EM, which is my primary goal leading up to Paris," Kaul shared.
Los Angeles' 2028 Summer Games are also a personal aim for Kaul: "I hope to be in Los Angeles for those Olympic Games when I'm 30. That would be ideal."
Kaul's book "The Magic of the Decathlon" is scheduled for release this month.
