Initial scientific predictions about Germany’s solid fifth place in the medals tally looked distinctly shaky at first, since it took Germany all of three days to register their first medal – a silver for fencer Britta Heidemann.
And there were more media outcries and defensive statements from federation officials when Germany’s swimmers failed to bag a single medal of any colour – the country’s worst result for 80 years.
Check out our special photo gallery of Germany’s rollercoaster ride.
National sporting morale was not improved much either by the row kicked up over rower Nadja Drygalla, who ended up leaving the Olympic village in despair because of her relationship with neo-Nazi – or former neo-Nazi depending on who you believe – Michael Fischer.
But the tide turned in the second week, and Germany went on to snag a whole collection of medals in a wide range of disciplines – in the end, German athletes defied the doubters and rode, paddled, hurled, and thwacked their way to glory.
The Local/bk
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