Gold in shot put and silver in swimming – Mayor Benz praises strong results
The team from the Science City of Darmstadt impressed with strong performances at this year's International Student Games in Tallinn, Estonia. 18 athletes competed in swimming, track and field, and beach volleyball, bringing home one gold and one silver medal.
"Gold and silver in swimming and shot put are a fantastic result and further proof of the high level of performance of our city's athletes," said Mayor and Head of Sports Hanno Benz. "The Games provided the ideal conditions for top sporting performances and intercultural exchange."
Successes in swimming and athletics
Swimmer Tom Howorka (DSW Darmstadt) particularly shone, winning silver in the 50-meter freestyle final. He also placed fourth in the 100-meter freestyle. Niklas Burk (TuS Griesheim) achieved a personal best in the 50-meter breaststroke, finishing fifth. Fabio Lanucara (DSW Darmstadt), Lisa Schader and Merle Carlotta Knapp (both VFS Rödermark), and Neele Feline Schwebel (SG Frankfurt) also delivered strong performances.
In athletics, Emmy Pfouga (asc Darmstadt) won the gold medal in the shot put with a throw of 12.98 meters. Club colleague Marlo Friedrich finished fifth in the javelin throw. The girls' 4×100-meter relay team reached the finals and finished eighth.
Premiere in beach volleyball
For the first time, Darmstadt also fielded beach volleyball teams. The boys started with a win against Kecskemét (Hungary), but were eliminated after losses to Los Angeles and Hamilton (Canada). The girls celebrated a victory against Murska Sobota (Slovenia) and narrowly missed a better placing in a three-set thriller against Alkmaar (Netherlands).
Sporting successes and intercultural encounters
In addition to the competitions, the focus was on social interaction and cultural exchange. An interview with the German Embassy, a boat trip along the coast, and a visit to the beach rounded out the program. Mayor Barbara Akdeniz supported the team on site. A total of around 1,000 young people from over 70 cities worldwide participated in the games.
The next International School Games will take place in August 2026 in Hualien, Taiwan.
(Darmstadt - Red/PSD/DK)
