
Austria’s men’s 3×3 basketball team triumphed at the European Championships in Vienna last night, securing an 18-17 victory over defending champions Serbia in a dramatic final.
The bronze went to Lithuania, who claimed a 21-18 win over Switzerland. In the women’s event, Spain took the gold, while Austria’s wheelchair basketball team also celebrated success.
The Austrian side, featuring Nico Kaltenbrunner, Enis Murati, Toni Blazan, and Fabio Söhnel, made a strong start, spurred on by a 4,000-strong crowd in the Prater, taking an early 6-2 lead and later a 12-9 advantage. The Serbs, however, clawed their way back into the game, equalising and edging ahead 14-12 with four minutes left on the clock.
Austria responded in dramatic fashion, levelling the score with just 70 seconds remaining, before securing an 18-17 lead in the final minute to claim their first-ever European gold in the sport.
In the women’s competition, Spain cruised to a 19-11 victory over France to take the top spot, while the Netherlands secured bronze with a 21-14 win over Poland. Austria’s women were knocked out in the quarter-finals by eventual runners-up France, losing 21-14.
Austria’s wheelchair basketball team also made history, clinching the European title with a narrow 15-14 victory over Poland.