Nils, the qualification starts on Thursday. How do you see your chances in the singles?
Nils Dunkel: "Well, the most important thing for me is still the team. The team performance comes first. Otherwise, I won't do an all-around, so the result is already out of the question. In the apparatus finals, I have my best chance on the horse, but that's also the apparatus where most things happen, so I don't know if I'll make it into the finals. If I actually make it to the finals, you have to start all over again anyway."
How do you rate your chances with the team?
Nils Dunkel: "The team is very well positioned. It's a top team, so a lot is possible. But here, too, we first have to show our performance. If we can do what we've been training for, then we'll definitely make it to the team finals and then hopefully into the top five."
What would a medal mean to you? It is also a home European Championship.
Nils Dunkel: "A medal, as it was the case with the women, would be really cool. Especially in front of a home crowd, so you can celebrate again. That would be super, but it will also be a really tough task."
Are you more of a person who is spurred on by performing in front of a home crowd, or does that unsettle you?
Nils Dunkel: "Well, I definitely think it's much cooler to do gymnastics at home. My parents are there, too. When you have the home crowd behind you, it's just more awesome."
Do you really get the atmosphere in the hall or are you totally in the tunnel?
Nils Dunkel: "Personally, I switch off relatively much. Except for the moments when I look up and want to enjoy it. But usually you try to block everything out a bit, that you can focus on yourself."
Before that, you were once again at the training camp in Kienbaum for preparation. How did the training there go overall and how do you feel before the competition?
Nils Dunkel: "The preparation went pretty well, I think I can speak for the whole team. We were able to fine-tune the training a bit. And for me personally it was also important to be there, because it's a bit cooler to train together with the team. I think we're all pretty fit."
What does your training still look like until Thursday?
Nils Dunkel: "Tuesday is the podium training for now and Wednesday will be a bit quieter. There you can repeat one or two things that might not have worked out. On Thursday, you can only show what you have trained."
Let's take a look at the European Championships in general. There are nine sports taking place here under one roof. How do you rate the entire event?
Nils Dunkel: "Well, I think it's pretty cool. I already experienced it a bit in Glasgow in 2018. This time it's all a bit tighter, I think that's already good. As an athlete, unfortunately, you always don't really have the chance to experience something of the other sports. But the media presence and the number of spectators are a bit different than when every sport does its own thing."
How do you find it here on Campus?
Nils Dunkel: "So far, I've seen a lot of construction work. But this is a super hall for a university."
Interview: Lina Lässer & Michelle Brey
Photo: Lina Lässer