European Championships | 13 Oct 2024

MITTELHAM: My Goal for Linz is Simply to be Pain-Free

Nina MITTELHAM, who was stopped by injury in the final of the European Championships two years ago in Munich against Austria’s Sofia POLCANOVA, heads to the LIEBHERR European Championships in Linz with different goals than her teammate, reigning champion Dang QIU. After disc problems at the Olympic Games in Paris, the Munich runner-up will compete in her first international tournament in three months.

“The most important thing for me is that I am pain-free,” Mittelham explains.

This week, MITTELHAM is preparing with the national team at the German Table Tennis Center. The German Table Tennis Association (DTTB) will travel to Linz with a 14-strong squad, consisting of five men and five women, as well as four young talents who earned their spots through the Continental U21 Championships.

A painful disc injury halted your Olympic run. Now, the European Championships will be your first international tournament since Paris. What has your recovery looked like, and are you fully fit again?

"I wasn’t able to do anything for two weeks after Paris due to extreme pain. Even on holiday, I spent most of the time just lying down. It got better after rehab, and I’ve recovered well to this day. Currently, I’m pain-free, but I still need to be cautious with certain movements. Mentally, I’m still thinking too much, which prevents some things from becoming automatic again. But that’s okay. I’ve been back to training for about four weeks, starting very slowly. I only began playing freely last week and had my first full session recently, so my workload is still much lower than before the injury. But the key thing is that I’m pain-free."

You’ve already won the Europe Top 16 as well as European mixed and doubles titles. After finishing second in 2022, how do you assess your chances of winning the individual title this time in Linz?

"At the moment, I don’t think it’s realistic for me to aim for the title in Linz. But I will do my best to arrive in good physical condition. From there, we’ll see how things develop round by round. I’m excited for every set and match in Linz."

In Munich 2022, an injury during warm-up prevented you from playing the final against Austria’s Sofia POLCANOVA, who became champion. Does that experience still haunt you?

"Originally, my plan after Munich was to go for the title in Linz. But now, I must adjust my expectations. It will be my first international competition in months, and it's a major one. It’s not easy. I don’t really know where my form stands right now, so I’ll just go to the European Championships, see how it goes, and try to enjoy myself in Linz."

The European Championships will feature singles, doubles, and mixed events. The 14 DTTB players and coaches have shared their hopes and expectations for Austria ahead of the competition.

Germany has traditionally performed exceptionally well at the European Championships, with Munich 2022 bringing gold for Dang QIU, silver for Nina MITTELHAM, and bronze for Sabine WINTER and Xiaona SHAN. What is the goal for Euro 2024?

Richard PRAUSE, Sporting Director: "Such extraordinary results are only possible when everything aligns perfectly, which rarely happens. In Linz, we will face increasingly balanced competition, as shown by recent results at the European Team Championships, Team World Championships, and the Olympics. We’re looking forward to the exciting battles with stars like France’s Felix and Alexis Lebrun and Sweden’s Truls Möregardh. These high-level matches with unpredictable outcomes are great for table tennis. Despite the growing competition, I’m optimistic that both our women’s and men’s teams will be in contention for medals in Linz. I’m also eager to see how our young players fare at their first European Championships."