Gold sensation crowns show of German 3x3 basketball players
For the first time at the Olympics, winning the gold medal right away: The German 3x3 women's basketball team pulls off the ultimate coup at the Olympic Games. In front of Dirk Nowitzki, they defeat the Spanish team in the final.
Speechless, the four Olympic champions embraced their VIP fan Dirk Nowitzki. The 46-year-old legend was sitting in the front row at the historic German basketball moment in Paris and congratulated the sensational gold medal winners in 3x3. The quartet of Svenja Brunckhorst, Sonja Greinacher, Elisa Mevius, and Marie Reichert had previously defeated Spain in a thrilling final, 17:16, also winning the first German Olympic medal in basketball. "The whole realization of what we've done here, what we've achieved for basketball and women's basketball in Germany - that will only come later," said Greinacher on Eurosport.
In front of former superstar Dirk Nowitzki and IOC President Thomas Bach, the debutantes held up under immense pressure and completed their great coup impressively. After the dramatic end of the game, which was open until the last second, the quartet formed a circle of joy - then they roared out their joy and posed with a large German flag for the numerous photographers in the packed stadium at Place de la Concorde. "How awesome is 3x3 basketball??? Congratulations ladies," wrote football star Toni Kroos on X, formerly Twitter.
The German team started the final with a 3:0 run, but had to quickly accept the equalizer. The Spanish team improved, was more offensive, and took a 10:6 lead. However, Germany fought back, equalized, and ultimately celebrated the Olympic victory.
The 2.13-meter tall Nowitzki sat in the lively stadium at Place de la Concorde, cheering on the team that started as an underdog just a week ago. After the thrilling semi-final against Canada, Nowitzki had already enthusiastically celebrated and high-fived the four medal winners.
The 46-year-old guest of honor spoke of "a historic success" and "an incredible performance." Also present were the Wagner brothers Franz and Moritz, as well as parts of the women's national team, to watch the climax of the tournament.
"It's overwhelming," said Mevius, who only joined the team after a severe injury to Luana Rodefeld. "This is simply a dream come true."
"This is unique for our girls. This is an incredible success," said President Ingo Weiss of the German Press Agency. For the federation boss, the triumph in Paris is "on a par with our men's World Cup title in Manila. We have shown that we are also competitive and can celebrate successes in this new discipline."
Dirk Nowitzki's last-second three-pointer in the 2005 EuroBasket semi-final against Spain came to mind as Greinacher's winning shot echoed through the arena. This time, the basketball legend sat courtside, grinning as he witnessed Germany's historic triumph. The 32-year-old Greinacher wasn't just a standout player but also a leader on the court. "Just before the end, Sanni said, 'We've got a minute left to play for the biggest dream of our lives,'" Brunckhorst recalled after the semi-final.
The final day proved why 3x3 tournaments enrich the Olympic Games. Games were exciting and engaging, with near-capacity crowds in the temporary stadium. The sport's appeal to young people lies in the accessibility of its athletes. This was only the second time basketball 3x3 was part of the Olympic program, following its debut in 2021. Germany's teams were absent in Tokyo.
The victory over Spain in the final secured the German 3x3 women's basketball team their first Olympic gold medal in basketball, a feat that was celebrated not only by the players but also by their VIP fan Dirk Nowitzki. Furthermore, the dramatic win also marked the first time Germany had won an Olympic medal in basketball as a whole.
