It's a statement for the future: Ukraine wants to be part of the joint bid by Spain and Portugal for the World Cup. In 2030, the country under attack from Russia is to play for the World Cup title. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Selenskyi supports the bid - for his countrymen it is an important sign.
The European Women's Soccer Championship was now objectively great. Auditors from Ernst Young examined the tournament in six categories, including social impact and international reach. The numbers confirm what we all knew: There have never been more spectators on site, never more fans in front of the TV, never more social interactions on the Internet. Nadine Keßler, head of UEFA's women's soccer division, said, "we now need to capitalize on these successes to further advance our game for girls and women."
We call womenpower: In March, for the first time in the history of ski jumping, women will also be allowed to ski fly. On March 19, the world's best 15 female ski jumpers will compete against each other on the "Monsterbakken" in Norway. A new women's long jump record is thus certain - and also more attention for the women ski jumpers who are still very much in the shadow of the men.
Today her fellow athletes know her, tomorrow - perhaps - the whole world will. Darja Varfolomeev came in second in the September "Sports Person of the Month" poll, just behind the stars of the national basketball team. Sports fans should now remember Varfolomeev's name: Just 15 years old, she won one gold, three silver and one bronze medals at the World Championships in gymnastics. Great, Darya!
Lucas Krzikalla is celebrated by the public after coming out. "I didn't expect such phenomenal, positive feedback, and it really left me speechless at some points," the 28-year-old handball player from Leipzig told broadcaster Sky. It is quite amazing that Krzikalla is the first male professional handball player in Germany to come out. He now also wants to encourage other homosexual athletes to take this step, "because then we will really get more towards normality and everyday life."
A gallop to a lot of money: Torquator Tasso's third place in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in Paris has now earned his owners 4.224 million euros. This makes the five-year-old stallion the most successful German galloper of all time. In what was possibly his last race, Torquator Tasso once again finished third, which again brought in good money.
A hangar as a home finder and integration helper: In 2015, Syrian Ali al Omar al Mashlab was housed in an old hangar at Tempelhof Airport along with 2,500 other refugees. Today, the 29-year-old coaches soccer there - in the Hangar1 project, refugees and locals can train together in various sports. Director Nika Lampadius told the Strait Times, "the plan was to use sports as an easy gateway for refugees to connect with each other and make meaningful connections." The plan is working - Ukrainian refugees are now also playing sports at Hangar 1.
