DPA
Berlin
Germany are sending a big team of more than 420 athletes to the Paris Olympics, and hope for plenty of silverware at the The July 26-August 11 Games.
Team Germany won 37 medals at the last Olympics in Tokyo, including 10 gold, and the women outnumber the men when it comes to Paris medal hopes.
Following are the top German medal contenders: Women’s contenders Track cyclists Emma Hinze und Lea Sophie Friedrich are among the top contenders as four-time reigning team sprint world champions, and also aim for individual silverware in the keirin and sprint events.
Long jumper Malaika Mihambo seeks back-to-back gold, and so does Ricarda Funk in canoe slalom, while dressage rider Jessica von Bredow-Werndl could even repeat her double gold from Tokyo.
Darja Varfolomeev won all five world titles in rhythmic gymnastics last year and would like to repeat the feat at Olympic level.
Swimmers Angelina Köhler and Leonie Beck, as well as shooting athletes Doreen Vennekamp and Anna Janssen aim for the podium as well, along with the women’s archery team as reigning world champions.
Men’s contenders Alexander Zverev eyes a second tennis gold at Roland Garros where he reached the French Open final last month, and decathlon world leader Leo Neugebauer wants to add his name to a proud German tradition in the multi-event.
Single sculls rower Oliver Zeidler can complete his major title collection, eventing ace Michael Jung has big ambitions as well, parallel bars world champion Lukas Dauser wants to improve on his Tokyo silver, and canoeing ace Sebastian Brendel can get a fourth career gold.
Florian Wellbrock is a major contender in the pool over 1,500m as well in the open water 10km event, and world leader Lukas Märtens could give Germany 400m freestyle gold on the first full day of competition July 27.
Team contenders The men’s basketball team won a first ever world title last year and seek the podium again but they face a star-studded United States team this time around.
The women’s football team took gold 2016 in Rio and have big ambitions again, and so do the men’s and women’s field hockey teams as world champions and Pro League runners-up, respectively.
Canoeing is always good for German medals, with the K-4, K-2 and C-2 teams seeking the podium, so does the men’s rowing eigth, and 470 mixed event sailors Simon Diesch and Anna Markfort.
