- Sweden too strong: Beach duo Ehlers/Wickler takes silver
The impressive march of German beach volleyball players Nils Ehlers and Clemens Wickler came to an end in the Olympic final. In the stadium beneath the sparkling Eiffel Tower, the Hamburg duo lost to Swedish favorites David Ahman/Jonatan Hellvig 0:2 (10:21, 13:21) and were largely outmatched throughout the game.
Winning the silver medal was the duo's greatest career achievement, falling short of a second gold medal for men after Julius Brink and Jonas Reckermann's victory in London in 2012. In Paris, Ludwig and her new partner Louisa Lippmann, as well as Svenja Müller/Cinja Tillmann, were eliminated early.
One last game before the Eiffel Tower
The tower lit up and sparkled one last time for the game on the spectacular court in the heart of Paris, accompanied by a light and music show. Arm in arm, Ehlers and Wickler sang the German national anthem.
The young Swedish world rankings leaders initially struggled to utilize their unique playing style with jumped sets or attacks on the first contact after reception. The Germans fell behind quickly due to their own mistakes and never found their rhythm in the entire first set. Their serve and block were barely functioning.
Ahman/Hellvig, on the other hand, defended well. The pressure seemed to affect the Hamburg duo. In the second set, their serve and reception remained poor, with many misunderstandings. The Swedes dominated almost at will. Whenever the German duo made a comeback, they found an answer.
Always among the best, never quite at the top
Ehlers/Wickler have been a team since 2022 and set an Olympic medal as their ambitious goal from the start. Despite reaching the final, their run was still a surprise.
Throughout the year, the pair consistently placed among the best four at elite tournaments, but they couldn't quite pull off the big win. Ehlers himself spoke of the "curse of fourth place," suggesting that their form peaked just in time for the Olympics, even if it didn't translate to a gold medal.
Little time to celebrate
In Paris, the duo started in excellent form. In the semifinals, they achieved their first-ever win against the reigning Olympic champions Anders Berntsen Mol and Christian Sandlie Sørum from Norway, who ultimately won bronze. Ehlers dominated in the block and improved in many other aspects. His partner Wickler was strong in serve and defense - but it didn't go as well in the final.
Against Ahman/Hellvig, their record before the final was poor, with only one win in twelve games. They couldn't improve it in the French capital. With the international tournament schedule, the Hamburg duo has little time to celebrate their silver medal. They will begin the European Championships in the Netherlands on Wednesday.
After their heartbreaking loss in the Olympic final, Nils Ehlers and Clemens Wickler led a somber victory march around the Parisian streets, the sound of the German national anthem echoing through the air. The silver medalists, still in awe of their achievement, continued their march, reflecting on the triumphant 'The victory march' that had started at the Olympic Stadium beneath the Eiffel Tower.
