What drama for Ole Steinbach! The DLV youngster is supposedly celebrating the title at the U18 European Championships, but it was taken away from him. Then the German gets mad.
There was already gold in his hand. He finished first, threw his hands in the air and enjoyed the seconds of his greatest success. But the celebration for athlete Ole Steinbach on Saturday evening did not last long.
A short time later the title disappeared again and the famous surprise winner was the big loser in a dramatic 800m final.
At the European Under-18 Championships in Rieti, the 16-year-old from Dresden actually had a much smaller target. Reaching the finals is nothing more. Everything after that will be an encore. But Steinbach outgrew himself in his most important race to date.
Dream race, hurray – then bitter shock
In the final, the young runner showed tactical skill, remained calm in the chaotic final phase and launched his attack on time. With a personal best time of 1:49.44 minutes, he crossed the finish line first, ahead of competitors from all over Europe.
The projected European title was perfect, his moment in life seemed to have arrived. But then came a bitter turn.
Illegal elbow cost Ole Steinbach European title
Having examined the race, the arbitration court made a decision: disqualification. Steinbach gained an advantage in the fight by illegally using an elbow. This decision meant the end of his title dreams.
The gold medal was again awarded: France’s Axel Mougel-Deputot came out on top with a time of 1:49.76 minutes, Spain’s Sergio Redondo took silver (1:49.93), and Great Britain’s Magnus Riddell took bronze (1:50.12).
For Steinbach, the disappointment was enormous. The teenager, who just minutes earlier had risen to fame as European champion, had to endure perhaps the most painful experience of his young career.
Steinbach makes serious accusations
But he reacted not by leaving, but by clear words. In his Instagram story, Steinbach summarized the decision and those responsible.
“I was disqualified due to a minor technical problem, which in my opinion shows how corrupt the system is,” wrote the Dresden native.
Despite losing the title, Steinbach doesn’t want to miss the moment. “I will never lose the emotions and feelings of a EUROPEAN CHAMPION,” he continued: “Because for me – and many others – I am a EUROPEAN CHAMPION.”
His message: Another name may be in first place in the list of results – for him the result of the race remains the European title.
“Corrupt system” or just punishment?
However, the situation is not entirely clear-cut. The pictures show a scene that at least makes the jury’s decision clear. In a tight field, Steinbach uses his elbow and thereby creates space. Such actions can make all the difference, especially in an 800m race where positions and inches are on the line in a very small space.
Thus, the disqualification seems less like an arbitrary decision and more like a strict and consistent interpretation of the rules. The charge of a “corrupt system” is accordingly serious and not supported by the image of the race.
It is clear that Steinbach reacts emotionally. At 16, he experienced the full spectrum of the sport in just a few minutes: first unexpected triumph, then bitter disappointment. The pain of losing a historical moment is likely to be very deep.
One thing remains with him: he showed that he can hold his own on the big stage. His appearance in Rieti was not a coincidence, but an exclamation point. Even without a medal, Steinbach is one of the faces of the European Under-18 Championship.
Germany is still applauding
Although Steinbach is now the biggest controversy of the title fights, the German team is still having strong days in Rieti. Gold so far has been won by pole vaulter Jonathan Hummel, who was crowned European champion with a personal best of 5.15m, shot putter Clezio De Carvalho, who took the title with a final throw of 20.15m, and steeplechase Franziska Graeter, who won the 2000m steeplechase.
Steinbach could become Germany’s fourth golden holiday. Instead, the 16-year-old writes one of the most dramatic stories of the European Under-18 Championship – between dreams, disappointments and brutal attacks on the referees’ decisions.