Awards, applause and recognition for winners

For Lord Mayor and Head of the Sports Department Dr. Felix Schwenke, the sports gala is an event that not only celebrates sport, but also makes visible what it achieves in Offenbach: community and cohesion across age and origin boundaries. In addition to representatives from local politics and city society, a special guest of honor was also present at the Capitol this time: Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser, who is also the Federal Minister of Sport, also came and paid tribute to the achievements of the athletes and volunteers.

Amidst music, a variety of shows and lots of applause, the Lord Mayor and the Federal Minister honored 195 athletes. The audience was also in for a special surprise that evening when they learned that it was presenter Marius Schnelker's birthday. 600 guests congratulated him in song - a special moment that impressively underscored the atmosphere of the gala.

"This stage tonight belongs to all those who shape sport in our city with passion and discipline - whether in the spotlight or in the background," said the Lord Mayor in his opening speech. "We are proud of every medal, of every sportswoman and every sportsman. We honor them because such successes do not fall from the sky - behind every award is hard training, a lot of hard work and even more discipline. That is why I not only congratulate you, but would also like to thank you this evening." The mayor also thanked the volunteers at Offenbach's sports clubs: "You all make a fantastic range of sports activities possible for young and old. Without your commitment, the sports city of Offenbach would not be what it is."

Mayor Schwenke was delighted with the visit from Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser and expressly thanked her for coming: "The fact that you are here tonight, Nancy, is a strong sign for us - for sport, but also for the solidarity with us." Born in Hesse, she not only knows Offenbach politically, but also culturally - as the mayor pointed out in his welcoming address with a wink, referring to the city's former club scene, because Faeser was once a guest at the Capitol when it was a nightclub.

The Stadtgarde Offenbach kicked things off on stage with a varied choreography and got the guests in the mood for the evening. The music spanned continents and genres: from Peter Fox's "Haus am See" to Irish folklore and a country song by Beyoncé, to a technoid reinterpretation of "Durch den Monsun" - also accompanied by the Stadtgarde. Another musical highlight was the performance by the band "The OhOhOhs", whose members share a passion for music and climbing. With keyboard and drums, the duo provided accents between classical and electronic sounds. The Chicana children's and youth circus brought highs and amazement to the stage: the young artists wowed the audience with acrobatic interludes and showed how creative movement can be.

The range of achievements honored in Offenbach was once again remarkable this year - from unusual niche sports such as fin diving to international successes. In total, the mayor and Faeser honored almost 200 athletes: 103 with bronze, 64 with silver and 28 with gold.

One of the special moments of the evening was dedicated to senior sprinter Dieter Müller, who at the age of 80 is one of the world's best. He took fourth place in the M80 age group over 100 meters - and even won the gold medal with the 75+ relay team. On stage, he proudly said: "Despite a technical defect that almost cost us the world championship title at the beginning, we won by 40 meters."

Two young talents also stood out in 2024: rower Julius Klein (Hanauer Ruderclub Hassia e.V.) as Vice World Champion and Eric Jäger (Eintracht Frankfurt) as Junior European Triathlon Champion. The two athletes were each awarded 1,500 euros by the Sports Foundation for their outstanding sporting achievements.

On the contrary: "We are implementing all planned measures," emphasized the mayor. For example, the infrastructure building at the Waldschwimmbad swimming pool will be renovated, additional playing fields and changing rooms will be created at the Eichwaldweg sports ground and the artificial turf and the announced hybrid turf pitch at the Sana-Sportpark will be realized. At the same time, the mayor made it clear: "All direct sports and club funding will remain in place." The city is thus sending a clear signal: Offenbach will remain a reliable partner for its sports clubs - even in challenging times.

In his speech, the mayor also spoke about the status of ongoing renovation projects: "The city was able to make particular progress last year with the forest swimming pool on Rosenhöhe." The municipal company SFO Sport und Freizeit GmbH took over the pool from the First Offenbach Swimming Club (EOSC). The EOSC had operated the pool for decades with great voluntary commitment. "An association cannot shoulder the millions in renovation costs alone - it needs professional structures. The newly founded 'best OF swim GmbH' is now taking over operations on behalf of the city." With a view to the 2024 sports year, the mayor also paid tribute to the Cycling, Wine & Song event, which celebrated its tenth anniversary in the summer. "This mixture of top sporting performance and social get-togethers is typical of Offenbach," explained Schwenke. An entertaining short film also presented the Offenbach Sports Festival - as a stage for recruiting members, but also as an impressive showcase for Offenbach's sporting diversity. It made it clear that Offenbach has far more to offer in terms of sport than the Offenbacher Kickers, who are also highly regarded beyond the region.