The show is over, lights are off at the Palace of Sports and players are targeting new goals. This was a tournament of first times for many and of extraordinary achievements we had never witnessed before. 

Winning a medal is always a memorable experience, but it might have been even more of a major victory for some. These championships saw a diverse list of winners in terms of the countries they represented, which represents the remarkable talent we have in Europe.

A talented pair indeed is Rodion Alimov/ Alina Davletova. The Russians did not only earn their country’s first European medal in the mixed doubles category– they claimed the “big one”. The young players repeated history in a way, as they got their hands on another gold at the 2017 European Junior Championships, which gave us a glimpse of their talent and potential.

-It’s amazing, it’s the first time in history and we’re really happy, Alimov said.

Another first was that of Kalle Koljonen, and what a triumph. The 27-year-old can be proud of the bronze medal he has won, it is the first ever for Finland. Ranking 80 in the world, Koljonen caused a stir in the men’s singles as he made his way up, winning over Europe’s top players such as Denmark’s Rasmus Gemke and France’s Toma Junior Popov. It is an excellent win for the player and Finland who will certainly inspire many back home.

-It makes me feel quite honoured. I would not have believed that I would be standing on the podium, Koljonen said. 

Five medals on a row is an achievement hard to outdo, and the fact that all of them are gold makes it even more special. Carolina Marin seems to be determined to make history time and time again as she has gone all the way. It is, for sure, a historic moment in the sport of badminton that many will remember, not just her.

-I feel really proud of myself. It was something special today, Marin stated. 

Neslihan Yiğit is another women’s singles player who has delivered great performances during the European Championships. The number six in Europe won an important match against Yvonne Li, Germany who sits just two spots ahead in the rankings. For the 27-year-old, this was not just a big win as a player with this bronze being her first medal, but also for Turkey as she adds a second bronze to the country’s list.

-I’m so happy with this medal because it’s my first in the European Championships, Yiğit said.

Kyiv was the host for this year’s championships, a first that the country will never forget. A first that could be the first of many since such an event can open the doors to many things to come for badminton in the country, not just in terms of hosting future tournaments but also inspiring both experienced players and the upcoming Ukrainian talents.

There were Ukrainian players that got to play such a special tournament on home soil. Artem Pochtarov, Maria Ulitina, Natalya Voytsekh and Anna Mikhalkova got to enjoy a memorable experience by representing their country while playing in Ukraine. Pochtarov gave some emotional and motivational words for what hosting the European Championships in his country meant for him and his badminton colleagues. 

-I’m just really happy that the confederation is working really hard and that they got this good opportunity to get the best event in the continent. It’s a really good step to get some improvement in Ukrainian badminton. I think this won’t be the last European Championships in Kyiv, we can probably get the world championships here. I really believe that we can do it together, Pochtarov said.

A European Championships of firsts for many, an event that channelled the passion for our sport in all senses, and a sign of hope in these difficult times. We are all certainly looking forward for the ones to come, and who knows, maybe we will once again experience drones handing the medals to those at the podium.