Biathlon – bellyache and adhesive: Prussia in the mass start run without medal

Until the last shooting, Franziska Preuß seemed despite the stomach ache and adhesive on the way to the golden happy ending, but then the only mistake at the shooting range even cost her fifth medal at the World Cup in Lenzerheide. The completely exhausted 30-year-old ended up in seventh place on Sunday in the final mass run race-in a victory of Swede Elvira Öberg.

The day before, the hopes of Preuss for the permanently planned German relay medal had not fulfilled, but the German men with bronze caused a real surprise on the final weekend in Switzerland.

“It was extremely difficult, especially in the first round the skis stuck extremely. I had to invest so much strength, I still had a stomach ache. It was a single fight today, «said Preuss after her disappointing World Cup final. Before the second shooting, the favorite German even opened their pants in the hope of improving the abdominal cramps. It was all the more admirable to their flawless performance at the shooting range until the only mistake in the final standing stop: »I already knew that I had nothing to align on the route afterwards. A few adjustment screws just didn’t fit today. “

Your ski material was simply not competitive compared to the competition, and physical problems came in the seventh World Cup race within twelve days. The German still congratulated the German fairly after her finish of the new mass start world champion Öberg. “Gold-Franzi” was able to cope with the double disappointment on the final weekend: after all, she was with gold (persecution), silver (sprint) and twice bronze (mixed and single mixed) and a total of four medals the most successful participant after the Frenchwoman Julia Simon (four times gold).

“If someone had told me in front of the World Cup that I gained four medals and two of them in individual races, I would have taken it immediately. It is good that I was able to prove to myself that I can prepare myself perfectly for a climax, “said Preuss:” I take many beautiful memories from Lenzerheide alongside the four medals. “She can use the motivation-after all, the Wasserburg native wants to defend her top in the overall World Cup in the remaining seven World Cup individual races.

For the German highlight on the final weekend of the World Cup, which exceeded all expectations with bright sunshine and over 85,000 spectators, the German men provided. Philipp Nawrath, Danilo Riethmüller, Johannes Kühn and Philipp Horn got almost sensational bronze after the moderate World Cup performances of the German men’s division. “Was that cool,” enthused the final runner Horn. Before the last shooting in the duel with Sweden for bronze, he had almost feared himself, but he tore together: “I thought: Boy, today is your day! You don’t have the chance often in life. ”He remained flawless and secured the medal with a effort at the final round:” I have never had such pain “

At the award ceremony, the tears came to him – just like his colleague Johannes Kühn. The 33-year-old, like Horn, had grown outside on the route and then explained that this was his last World Cup race. A perfect happy ending with the first medal at a major event – just like his colleagues Nawrath and Riethmüller. “Such a medal can do a whole season,” said final runner Horn: “This day we will remember this day in a few years. That gives energy for the next few years. ”

Thanks to the late participation of the German men in the precious metal hunting, the black-red-gold team with a total of five medals achieved the best World Cup balance in five years. Especially among women, with a view to the upcoming Olympic season, the future looks rosy not only because of Franziska Preuss. “We have a whole group of young athletes as a promise for the future,” commented the German sports director Felix Bitterling: “For them, not all dreams were fulfilled at the World Cup, but they have had important experience.” Selina Grotian (20) takes the mixed bronze medal home and missed better individual results at the shooting range.

The 19 -year -old Julia Tannheimer indicated her potential as a future winner at the end of her first World Cup with 15th place in the mass start race. A wax release will also be necessary – after all, Franziska Preuss announced that she will think about a resignation to the 2026 Olympics in Milan and Cortina. The mass start race of Lenzerheide could have been your last World Cup race.