Overview

• Team Germany closed the Chengdu Games with 17 gold, 14 silver and 14 bronze medals, ranking second only to host China.
• Nina Holt secured five golds to become the top-medalled athlete in World Games history, while both Germany’s women’s (4-0) and men’s (3-1) canoe-polo teams claimed gold.
• Federal support for non-Olympic federations has risen from around €14 million in 2024 to a planned €21 million by 2026, yet remains a fraction of the funding devoted to Olympic sports.
• Many competitors balance training with jobs or studies and cover significant travel and equipment costs themselves due to limited institutional backing.
• DOSB officials caution that success in Chengdu does not predict Olympic performance and stress the need to strengthen infrastructure and professional pathways before Karlsruhe 2029.