On his last day as a fencer, Max Hartung stands in the Makuhari fair in Tokyo and does what he has already done in so many halls around the world.

He screams, loud and short.

He mostly does it for himself.

A means of motivation that almost always works.

When he hits and when he doesn't.

Christopher Meltzer

Sports correspondent in Munich.

  • Follow I follow

Now he's not screaming for himself, but for Matyas Szabo, his friend and fencing comrade, who is standing a few meters in front of him with a mask and saber on the planche.

Hartung will later say that he was so tense that he had to scream.

“And then Matyas first showed a 3-0 win against the world number one, and it looked like it was our turn, as if we could do it.

And my heart was pounding. "

Without Szabo, without a medal

Wednesday noon, Makuhari Mass, Hall B, saber fencing. In the men's team decision, Hartung and the Germans won surprisingly well against the Russians in the quarter-finals. In the semifinals, they then keep up with South Korea, the big favorite. When there is only one man left on each team, they are 37:40 behind. Everything is still possible. For South Korea, Sanguk Oh, 24 years old, is now fighting first in the individual world rankings. For Germany Matyas Szabo, 29 years old, the son of the national coach, a nimble fencer. He caught Oh three times with his saber. 40:40. Szabo screams, Hartung screams. Five points left for the final of the Olympic Games. And thus for a medal. Hartung's heart is beating.

When Szabo remained lying on the planche three points later, nobody screamed. He tried to escape an attack by Oh, who ran off at 43:40, with a balancing act - and did not get up again immediately. He touches his thigh. When he is back on his feet after a quick exam, he takes a lunge step. A look at the father and trainer, shaking his head. Then he drops the saber.

When the four fencers from Dormagen fly from Tokyo to Germany again this Friday, they will not be able to pack what they absolutely wanted to pack: an Olympic medal. They later said with tears in their eyes, toiled for 20 years, but without Szabo, who was their best on that day, not only lost against South Korea (42:45), but later also the battle for bronze against Hungary (40:45). Fourth place. So close. "It would have been an incredibly great story," says Hartung in the mixed zone, and everyone who stands there knows at that moment that this story will no longer exist.

On Wednesday evening in the Makuhari-Messe, more than 1000 kilometers from their home in North Rhine-Westphalia, the life together of four men came to an end, who have become friends through fencing. They will split up at the airport in Germany - and then no longer meet as teammates. One, Matyas Szabo, will continue fighting. Three will stop. On the one hand there is Richard Hübers, 28 years old, who became European champion with the team. On the other hand, there is Benedikt Wagner, 31 years old, who became European and world champion with the team. And there would of course be Max Hartung.

He is the star of the group, although there are actually no stars in fencing. He won the European Championship and World Cup not only with the team, but also alone, but that didn't make him famous. That couldn't be done with his saber. With his voice, yes. As an athletes spokesman, he has used her for many athletes in Germany. But it is perhaps the greatest achievement in his sporting life that he not only used this voice, but also institutionalized it.

Four years ago he founded the Athletes Germany Association. A lobby for those whose interests are often overlooked in top-class sport: the athletes. He will now leave the club. Six permanent employees continue his work. And he starts something new. In the future he will work as managing director for Sporthilfe Nordrhein-Westfalen. "If I can give kids what I've been able to experience, then I can't imagine a better job."

On his last day as a fencer, Max Hartung demonstrated again why he should be remembered in this role. When he comes to the planche in a duel with the Hungarians for the final duel, they are already 40:26. In addition, they are now sending Áron Szilágyi, the individual Olympic champion. It is actually hopeless. But Hartung screams and hits, screams and hits. Suddenly it is only 40:43 from his point of view. It's a great last stand. And even if it is no longer enough for victory, he leaves his sport with a fitting punchline: If something is Max Hartung's business, you have to expect that he will make it. No matter how hopeless the challenge seems.