EURO CHAMPS 2012 Finals – Europe’s new Deutsche Marc

Marc Zwiebler became the first German in 40 years to become European Men’s Singles Badminton Champion after a straight-game victory against local boy Hurskainen.  Denmark bags 3 titles with Poland’s Mateusiak and Zieba winning in mixed.

By Raphael Sachetat. Photos: Badmintonphoto (live)

The odds were clearly not on him. 28-year-old Marc Zwiebler knew that beating the top Danes would be a difficult task to go one step further than his 2010 bronze medal at the European. Little did he know that he was to be crowned European Champion on Saturday, in Sweden, to become the first German of the United Germany to clinch the title in the men’s singles category.  It was a great effort and a well deserved fate for a perfect gentleman and amazing player, who has had his ups and downs in the past – having to start all over after a bad back injury a few years ago. His bronze medal in the 2010 Europeans was a first sign, as was his silver medal in the Denmark Super Series the same year, but Zwiebler is no man to take a third and second spot for an answer. He wanted gold and got it on Sunday, trouncing the local hope Henri Hurskainen 21-15, 21-13 to claim his maiden European title.

Zwiebler takes over from a whole generation of Danes, with Peter Gade, Kenneth Jonassen and Peter Rasmussen as former winners of the last decade, and looks at a bright future starting with good points in his seeding quest towards the Olympics.

Tine barely keeps her title

If Germany scooped an unexpected gold medal, the women’s singles event was a more logical competition, with top seed Tine Baun taking on 2^nd seed Juliane Schenk in the final.  The Dane may have scored fewer points that her ever-fighting opponent overall, but kept her title with a 21-19, 16-21, 21-19 victory, depriving Germany of the chance to become the third country – after Sweden and Denmark – to have perpetrated a singles’ sweep at the Europeans.

The Danes went home with another two titles – top seeds Perdersen and Rytter-Juhl came out on top of compatriots Kruse/Roepke while Boe and Mogensen easily beat Roth and Fuchs 21-11, 21-11 in the final. Poland’s Mateusiak and Zieba had tasted European silver but this time, took gold as they beat the surprised guests at the level: Denmark’s Mads Pieler Kolding and Julie Houmann.

“Our goal was to play well in the quarter-finals against the Russians,” admitted Kolding. “But this is just crazy.”

Kamilla Rytter Juhl and Christinna Pedersen had a tough fight against compatriots Line Kruse and Marie Roepke but eventually took the title as well, making it 3 for Denmark overall.

Final Results
MS: Marc Zwiebler (GER) beat Henri Hurskainen (SWE)  21-15, 21-13
WS: Tine Baun (DEN) beat Juliane Schenk (GER)  21-19, 16-21, 21-19
MD: Boe/Mogensen (DEN) beat Oliver/Roth (GER)  21-11, 21-11
WD: Rytter Juhl/Pedersen (DEN) beat Kruse/Roepke (DEN)  21-17, 24-22
XD: Mateusiak/Zieba (POL) beat Pieler-Kolding/Houmann (DEN)  21-12, 24-22

All results here

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