2023-07-30 10:26:19
The successful defense of the World Championship title by the German national team in front of 10,000 spectators in Mannheim’s SAP Arena is intended to further popularize the old German gymnastics game.
The almost 10,000 cheering fans in Mannheim’s SAP Arena impressed Fabian Sagstetter almost more than his fourth World Cup title with the German national fistball team.
“It’s all so big, so crazy, so overwhelming,” said the team captain, letting his eyes wander once more and once more with pleasure.
The 13th world title of the record world champion was anything but a surprise, the dominance of the hosts was almost overwhelming. National coach Olaf Neuenfeld’s team didn’t lose a single set on the way to successfully defending their title, and even arch-rivals Austria were defeated 4-0 in the final.
The move of the fistball players to the finals in the Mannheim event location encouraged the protagonists of the German gymnastics game, which has been thriving in secret for 150 years, to move even more into the public eye in the coming years.
A start: SWR broadcast the World Cup final on linear television.
Fistball is a pure amateur sport
Sagstetter is also hoping for more response in the future: “We were able to prove that fistball is a sport that can be shown on television. Fistball has a lot of potential and I think that many people have realized that now.” In the Bundesliga, hardly more than 150 spectators are counted.
Thus, fistball is still a flawless amateur sport. Even main attacker Patrick Thomas, who converted the match point into victory in the final, is far from being able to make a living from his sport.
The 31-year-old, who is considered the best player in the world, makes his living as a self-employed energy consultant.
© imago images
Fistball: Germany wins 13 of 16 World Cup titles
A lot will depend on whether the traditional racquet game, which is similar to volleyball, will soon be played not only in German-speaking countries and by descendants of German emigrants worldwide.
Because monoculture still prevails: So far, 13 of 16 World Championship titles have gone to the team of the German Gymnastics Federation, Brazil won twice, Austria once.
But the old and new world champions in Mannheim didn’t want to think regarding that at first. “Now it’s into the fifth set,” said Thomas with the World Cup gold around his neck, setter Sagstetter was also looking forward to a hearty celebration: “It’s going to be a very, very long sentence, so we have to show stamina.”
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