Paris to Host Summer Games - Olympic Expert: German Team's Top Five Goals Seem Improbable
A top-ten ranking in the medal table for the German Olympic team in Paris appears unlikely, according to Marc-Oliver Loew, the director of the Institute for Applied Training Science in Leipzig (IAT), after analyzing the 2023 World Championship results. If someone had suggested aiming for a top-five spot, it would've been unrealistic, even though it aligns with the long-term goals of performance sports, Loew told the German Press Agency.
He continued, "If we can manage to hold onto ninth place—ideally, even move up a spot or two—that would be the best we can hope for from a scientific standpoint. It would be presumptuous to claim we can advance further right now."
During the Tokyo 2021 Summer Olympics, Germany placed ninth in the team rankings. The German team won 10 gold, 11 silver, and 16 bronze medals. While Germany remains a world-class nation, "that's not the case for all sports," Loew said.
Experts believe opportunities aren't being utilized enough. "We have the necessary conditions in place for many areas to be world-class, but we can't consistently produce world-class performances," said the 44-year-old.
He identified the issue as being primarily with sport promotion. "At the moment, in my view, we're too broadly set up for promoting if we want to improve the medal table or final standings," said Loew and recommended a shift in paradigm.
In his view, there are two alternatives: having many athletes and athletes in many sports or focusing on top sports. Then, tough decisions must be made consistently. "These are uncomfortable decisions, but they need to be communicated openly and transparently, so that those who aren't receiving the promotion can understand the situation, as was done before. But, in my opinion, that's the only way," Loew said.
IAT Homepage: https://www.iat-leipzig.de/
