German flops force rethink ahead of Rio

Germany finished the Olympic’s eight-day swimming programme last weekend without an Olympic medal for the first time in 80 years with changes promised ahead of Rio de Janeiro in 2016.

The German team will leave London without a single swimming podium placing for the first time since 1932 as ex-champion Britta Steffen missed bronze by seven hundredths of a second in the 50m freestyle final.

Having claimed two of her country’s three swimming medals at Beijing 2008 with golds in the 50m and 100m freestyle, Steffen finished fourth as Holland’s Ranomi Kromowidjojo took gold and the German’s Olympic record.

The German men’s 4x100 medley relay team then finished sixth in the final swimming event of the Olympics to leave their team medal-less.

“We take a step backwards from one Olympic Games to the next,” said former world champion Mark Warnecke who has described German performances in the London pool as “embarrassing.”

The 1932 Los Angeles Games was the last time Germany failed to win a single swimming medal.

The position of head coach has been vacant since head coach Dirk Lange was sacked last November and his successor is expected to be appointed in December.

Ex-world champion Franziska van Almsick has said her country now needs a fresh start ahead of Rio de Janeiro in 2016.

“It is not only about the personnel,” she said.

“It is a problem we have already had for a long time.

“Our swimmers aren’t able to go flat out twice per day. In the past, one or two successes have hidden the real problem.

“It would be nice if now a new beginning is made. Changes must come, it is necessary for work to be done to lead the way over the next four years.”

Alongside Britta Steffen, Steffen Deibler also claimed a joint fourth place in the men’s 100m butterfly final on Friday but it has been slim German pickings.

As the stars of the Germany team, Steffen, and boyfriend Paul Biedermann, the world 200m and 400m freestyle world record holder, have been big disappointments.

While none of the four world records they hold between them have been broken in London, all four were set in 2009 during the age of the high-tech suits.