Another retirement: European Gymnastics Championships also without Emma Malewski

The German Gymnastics Federation (DTB) has to cope with the next cancellation for the home European Championships. Former European champion Emma Malewski from Chemnitz has decided not to take part in the championships from May 26 to 31 in Leipzig due to upcoming A-level exams and insufficient fitness. The federation made the announcement immediately before the first European Championship qualifier as part of the Bundesliga opener this Saturday in Mannheim.

Malewski, who won gold on the balance beam at the 2022 European Championships in Munich, had to undergo shoulder surgery last year. The 20-year-old had to postpone her planned comeback at the DTB Cup in Stuttgart at the end of March due to a calf injury.

"My body just needs some more time to be one hundred percent fit - also for the all-around. That's why my focus this year will be on the finals and the World University Games in July," explained Malewski.

Seitz and Schäfer-Betz will also be missing

Federal coach Gerben Wiersma is therefore running out of experienced gymnasts. Before Malewski, former European uneven bars champion Elisabeth Seitz (Stuttgart) and former balance beam world champion Pauline Schäfer-Betz (Chemnitz) had already declared their withdrawal from the European Championships.

The 31-year-old German record champion Seitz is suffering from a persistent shoulder injury, while the 28-year-old Schäfer-Betz has to undergo hip surgery. Together with Malewski, Kim Bui and Sarah Voss, they both won European Championship bronze with the team in 2022.