Jurgen Klopp was famous for inspiring comebacks, but even the former Liverpool manager is amazed by his friend Wojtek Czyz who battled back from a horrific football injury to become a multiple Paralympic champion.
The German was in the stands at La Chapelle Arena on Aug 29 to support the 44-year-old as he competed in the badminton competition at Paris 2024.
The pair have known each other for more than 20 years after Czyz a four-time German Paralympic champion in athletics who has switched to compete in badminton for New Zealand - suffered the injury that not only ended his football career but led to his leg being amputated.
Klopp was far from a lucky charm for his friend, who lost 21-5, 21-2 to Briton Daniel Bethell, the second seed, but he knew this was one of the rare occasions in sport when the result is less important than taking part.
"I couldn't be prouder of him. Yesterday we were standing in front of the Eiffel Tower and we thought wow, it's super, super special," the 57-year-old said of Czyz.
This story is from the August 31, 2024 edition of The Straits Times.
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This story is from the August 31, 2024 edition of The Straits Times.
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