Preparation for major event - Olympic athletes excited about training in Saarland
The Saarland is popular worldwide as a preparation site for the Olympics: According to Sports Minister Reinhold Jost (SPD), over 400 athletes and their trainers and caretakers from 27 nations are currently preparing for the sporting competitions in Paris in Saarbrücken. Among them are participants from the USA, Canada, India, Nigeria, Australia, and the Philippines.
"Success justifies us in the end," said Jost. Two years ago, many raised their eyebrows and scoffed when the idea was presented to offer so-called Pre-Camps for Olympic participants from all over the world. "The account is settled for us," so Jost. The goal was to use the Olympics to draw attention to Saarland beyond its borders.
In the opinion of the Minister, Saarland is now more noticed in the sports world and can be sustainably used as a training site even beyond the Olympics. Already, inquiries have been received, reported Joachim Tesche, Financial Director of the State Sports Association for the Saarland (LSVS).
Among the athletes currently training on the Sportcampus Saar are teams and individual athletes for Triathlon, Table Tennis, Badminton, and Athletics, including the complete team of 143 athletes from Nigeria.
The most numerously represented sports group are the boxers with 65 boxers from 16 nations. US trainer Billy Walsh thanked in the name of the USA for the "superb equipment" in this training camp, which he considered the "best possible preparation" for his country. "It's fantastic here," confirmed Liam Joseph Bolger, Chief Trainer of the German Boxing Association. And Olympic participant Nelvie Tiafack emphasized: "I've been in some camps, but that there's something like this in Germany is simply mega. Ten out of ten points!"
"Well-invested money" and test for Special Olympics
According to Tesche's statements, the LSVS invested around two million Euros in advance, among other things, in a new 400-meter track, a weight room, regeneration areas, and the renovation of two accommodation houses.
The land allocates around 1.25 million Euros for the improvement of the infrastructure on the Sportcampus Saar but also for other major sports events in the Saarland according to Jost: "It's well-invested money that we can justify with this success story over the parliament," so Jost. The Pre-Camps meant not only appreciation for the sports, but also value creation - for example, as a "little stimulus program" for the Saarländish hotel and catering industry. They were also a "real test" for the Special Olympics, which will take place in 2026 with 4000 athletes in the Saarland.
The Summer Games in Paris will be opened on July 26.
Sportcampus Saar
- Despite initial skepticism, the United States of America and numerous other nations, including Canada, India, Nigeria, Australia, and the Philippines, are utilizing Saarbrücken's Sportcampus Saar as a preparation site for the Olympic Games in Paris.
- Reinhold Jost, the Sports Minister from SPD in Saarland, is thrilled with the success of the Pre-Camps, which have significantly increased the region's visibility in the sports world.
- Surprisingly, the most numerously represented sport in the Saarland's Pre-Camps is boxing, with 65 boxers from 16 different nations participating.
- Liam Joseph Bolger, the Chief Trainer of the German Boxing Association, praised the "superb equipment" at the Pre-Camp, considering it the "best possible preparation" for the Olympic Games in Paris.
- Participants from various nations, including the USA, have expressed their gratitude for the Saarland's welcoming atmosphere and high-quality facilities, which have played a crucial role in their Olympic preparation.
- With the Summer Games in Paris set to open on July 26, the Saarland is poised to host other significant sports events in the future, thanks to the investments made in its infrastructure and facilities.
- As a preparatory event for the Special Olympics, which will take place in the Saarland in 2026 with 4000 athletes, the Pre-Camps served as a valuable opportunity to test and improve the sports facilities and infrastructure.
