At that moment on 26 July 2023, everything was just falling into place – for the pole vaulter Magdalena Rauter (AUT) as well as for photographer Patrick Steiner, who both secured first place, in the pole vault final and in the EYOF Maribor Photo Contest respectively.
On the third day of the European Youth Olympic Festival, Magdalena Rauter (Innsbruck, Austria) sensationally collected the first Austrian gold medal in Maribor in the pole vault, her 4-metre jump also brought her over the U20 European Championship limit. “This gold medal is definitely my biggest success so far,” Rauter said later about her first international final.
The athlete is framed by a light gap in the clouds and the pole vault construction. With her pin-straight body and the only slightly curved pole, many geometric lines run through the entire composition. Furthermore, a unique reflection in the red mat is emblematic of the many downpours that have marked the EYOF Maribor. A true masterpiece also found the AIPS Europe Executive Committee, which served as a jury in this Photo Contest.
With 19 points, this photo finished ahead of second-placed Ireland (16 points) and Hungary (9 points) in third place.
Charles Camenzuli, President of AIPS Europe, said “As AIPS Europe, we are very pleased with this first partnership with the EOA and we are looking forward to even more common initiatives in the future. The submissions our EC members had to choose from, were of high quality, amazing moments from the recent EYOF and we are pleased to help promote this excellent event and the messages Olympism offers.”
“We would like to thank all the NOCs who participated in the Photo Contest and contributed an artistic value to the legacy of EYOF Maribor, as well as AIPS Europe for the technical expertise in this cooperation and the European Olympic Committees for facilitating the contact to the NOCs,” said EOA’s Katrin Wallmann about the turnout of the contest.
Besides the contest, the EOA also organised on-site country posters for the EYOF Maribor 2023 with tourist and sporting information about each participating country, so that athletes, spectators and residents could learn more about the background of the participants. The posters were on display in downtown Maribor from 23 June until after the event.
See all submitted photos for the European Youth Olympic Festival Maribor Photo Contest here:
1st place: Magdalena Rauter (AUT) photographed by Patrick Steiner, submitted by the Austrian Olympic Committee. © EOA/Patrick Steiner 
Thibaut Van Damme (BEL), photographed by Angie Bland, submitted by the Belgian Olympic and Interfederal Committee. © EOA/Angie Bland 
Terezie Taborska (CZE), Petr Meindlschmid (CZE) and Karolina Jarosova (CZE), photographed by Aneta Bernhardtova, submitted by the Czech Olympic Committee. © EOA/Aneta Bernhardtova 
Evan Boisdur (FRA), photographed by Julien Crosnier, submitted by the French National Olympic and Sports Committee. © EOA/Julien Crosnier 
Max Berguin (FRA), photographed by Julien Crosnier, submitted by the French National Olympic and Sports Committee. © EOA/Julien Crosnier 
Jade Marquis-Laine (FRA), photographed by Julien Crosnier, submitted by the French National Olympic and Sports Committee. © EOA/Julien Crosnier 
Oskar Pakepusch (GER), photographed by Konstantin Fueller, submitted by the German Olympic Sports Confederation. © EOA/Konstantin Fueller 
Andreas Stamatopoulos (GRE), photographed by Thomas Tokas, submitted by the Hellenic Olympic Committee. © EOA/Thomas Tokas 3rd place: Vivien Jackl (HUN), photographed by Peter Szalmas, submitted by the Hungarian Olympic Committee. © EOA/Peter Szalmas 2nd place: Greta Lawless (IRL) photographed by Tyler Miller, submitted by the Olympic Federation of Ireland. © EOA/Tyler Miller 
Aukan Goldin (ISR) and Carlos D’Ambrosio (ITA), photographed by Oded Karni, submitted by the Olympic Committee of Israel. © EOA/Oded Karni 
Anna Gabriela Hofmane (LAT), photographed by Edijs Palens, submitted by the Latvian Olympic Committee. © EOA/Edijs Palens 
Liva Slosberga (LAT), photographed by Edijs Palens, submitted by the Latvian Olympic Committee. © EOA/Edijs Palens 
Aleksis Gailitis (LAT), photographed by Edijs Palens, submitted by the Latvian Olympic Committee. © EOA/Edijs Palens 
Cristobal Vargas (ESP), photographed by Nacho Casares, submitted by the Spanish Olympic Committee. © EOA/Nacho Casares 
Bohdan Bur (UKR), photographed by Anhelina Karpenko, submitted by the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine. © EOA/Anhelina Karpenko
