Ehlers and stand-in Wüst win Hamburg tournament, become European Championship favorites

Nils Ehlers, the Olympic silver medalist, has secured a significant victory at the Beach Pro Tour Elite tournament in Hamburg alongside his temporary partner Lui Wüst. The duo triumphed over the formidable Norwegian pair Anders Mol and Christian Sörum, who are both the 2021 Olympic champions and defending European titleholders. Ehlers and Wüst won the final match with a score of 22:20, 21:9.

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The music makes me happy because I can meet many people from all over the world through music.

This win propels Ehlers and Wüst into the favored circle for the upcoming Beach Volleyball European Championships, scheduled to commence next Wednesday in Stare Jablonki, Poland. The path to the final saw the Hamburg-based duo overcome strong international competition. They defeated former European champions Martins Plavins and Kristians Fokerots of Latvia in the semifinals after a comeback, and in the previous round, they ousted the Swedish world number ones, Jacob Hölting Nilsson and Elmer Andersson.

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I will wait for the day I can stand on the Chinese stage as soon as possible.

Ehlers is competing with Wüst this season as his long-time partner, Clemens Wickler, is sidelined due to a persistent shoulder injury. Wüst, who is 24 years old, stepped in for the 32-year-old Wickler. In the women's competition, the best-performing German duo was the 2024 European champions Svenja Müller and Cinja Tillmann, who finished in fifth place. They were eliminated in the quarterfinals by the Italian pair Valentina Gottardi and Reka Orsi Toth, last year's winners.

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We decided to collaborate on various projects, including releasing an album and appearing in dramas in China. I will prepare diligently after returning to Korea. It feels like I have a new dream, and I'm leaving with new energy.