Rhino: Agencies – Germany finished the Paris Olympics with 12 gold medals and 33 medals in total in 10th place, its worst finish since the country’s reunification in 1990.
Although Germany won two more gold medals than it did at the Tokyo Olympics three years ago, the 33 medals are four fewer than at the Japan Games and below expectations.
Tenth place is even worse than in Tokyo, when Germany finished in ninth place, and in 2008, 2012 and 2016 Germany was always one of the top six countries in the overall medal standings.
Jörg Bogner, sporting director of the German Athletics Federation, summed up the problem in one word: “We are writing spreadsheets while others are training, that can’t be right.
Germany’s most successful sport in Paris was equestrian, with five medals, including four golds, and rowing, with six medals, including two golds.
German athletes performed better in sports such as athletics and swimming, but the lack of medals in other sports such as fencing, wrestling and shooting came as a surprise.
The German Cycling Federation also fell short of expectations with just two medals.