- Olympic victory and hug with Nowitzki: gold for women's 3x3
Astonished, the four Olympic champions embraced their esteemed fan, Dirk Nowitzki. The 46-year-old icon was seated in the front row at the historic German basketball moment in Paris, congratulating 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, securing Germany's first-ever Olympic medal in basketball.
"How awesome is that?"
Under the watchful eyes of Nowitzki and IOC President Thomas Bach, the debutantes withstood immense pressure and flawlessly executed their grand coup. After the dramatic conclusion of the game that remained open until the very last second, the quartet formed a circle of joy, then roared their delight and posed with a large German flag for the numerous photographers in the packed stadium at the Place de la Concorde.
"How awesome is 3x3 basketball??? Congratulations ladies," wrote Toni Kroos, the retired football star, on X, formerly Twitter.
The German team started the final with a 3:0 run, but quickly had to accept the equalizer. The Spanish team improved, was more offensive, and took a 10:6 lead. However, Germany fought back, equalized, and ultimately celebrated Olympic victory thanks to a long-range shot by Greinacher.
Nowitzki raves about the quartet
The 2.13-meter tall Nowitzki sat in the front row of the lively stadium at the Place de la Concorde, alongside Spain's King Felipe. He enthusiastically cheered on the team that started as an underdog just over a week ago. After the thrilling semifinal against Canada, Nowitzki had already joyously celebrated and high-fived the four medal winners.
The 46-year-old guest of honor spoke of "a historic success" and "an incredible performance." Franz and Moritz Wagner, as well as parts of the women's national team, were also in the audience to witness the climax of the entertaining tournament.
Leap into the world class
Brunckhorst, Mevius, Reichert, and the outstanding Greinacher on the final night played an excellent tournament, winning eight out of nine games. The quartet finally made the leap into the world class in front of a magnificent backdrop in the heart of Paris, leaving highly favored opponents like the USA or Canada behind. Olympic gold was the well-deserved reward for consistency at the highest level.
Even Nowitzki, who carried the German flag in 2008 in Beijing but never won an Olympic medal, has now been surpassed by them. "This is overwhelming. This is just a dream right now," said Mevius, who only joined the team after a severe injury to Luana Rodefeld.
"For our girls, this is unique. 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 now shown that we are also competitive and can celebrate successes in this new discipline."
Greinacher's winning shot just before the end reminded of Nowitzki himself, who decided the EM semifinal against Spain in the final seconds in 2005. This time, the sports star sat relaxed at the sidelines, grinning at the historic success for German basketball. The 32-year-old Greinacher not only shone on the court but also as a leader. "Just before the end, Sanni said: We have one more minute to play for the greatest dream of our lives," said Brunckhorst after the semifinal.
The final day proved impressively why 3x3 basketball tournaments enrich the Olympic Games. The games were varied and thrilling, with the temporary stadium's stands nearly always full. The sport appeals to many young people because the athletes are approachable. It was only the second time since 2021 that this basketball variant was part of the Olympic program. In Tokyo, the German teams were not present.
- Despite Spain's strong performance, they ultimately fell to Germany in the thrilling final, with Sonja Greinacher securing the victory for the German team with a long-range shot, much like Nowitzki did in a previous match against Spain.
- With their Olympic gold medal win, the German quartet of Brunckhorst, Mevius, Reichert, and Greinacher has surpassed the achievements of retired football star and German Olympian Toni Kroos and even legendary basketball player Dirk Nowitzki, who carried the German flag in Beijing but never won an Olympic medal.
