Biathlon-sunshine, dream backdrop, gold: Franziska Preuss fetches World Cup title

Franziska Preuß had just sunk her 20th shot without mistakes when a supervisor had a German flag thrown down from the bulging stands in Lenzerheide. At the same time, Elisabeth Preuss had to put himself on the floor briefly. “I just lost the version. We have many, many tough years with Franzi behind us. It is simply incredible that we can experience this now, «said the mother of the top German biathlete.

The tears flowed with her and of course with her daughter, who secured the World Cup gold medal in the chasing race incredibly confidently on Sunday. After the last shooting, Franziska Preuss had almost a minute lead over the next competitor and was able to walk over the finish line with the German grandstand flag a little later.

“It was crazy. I fought against the tears, then I had to laugh with luck. I will never forget this race, “said the world champion after the greatest success of her career:” I have had to fight for every position so often on the final round, this time it was just a pleasure. “After bronze with the mixed season The 30-year-old completed her medal collection in the title fights in Switzerland with the first World Cup retail title of the career on Saturday.

The key to the triumph, as is so often the case this winter, was the nerve strength of the native of Wasserburg at the shooting range. That was particularly difficult on this day, because on the first two visits there she shot together with the Swiss woman fanatic of 13 100 fans. The two are friends, train more often in Ruhpolding and shared the leadership work on the route. After the third shoot, however, Preuss pulled away in the middle of the grand mountain backdrop and kept the nerve with gold in front of the final exam.

»Sunshine, dream backdrop, gold – that was the perfect day today. And that at the World Cup. Thank you Lenzerheide! «, Enthused Prussia. On the podium she hoped happily, then the German hymn came back to her. A short time later she was in her arms with her parents. “It was very emotional. They really noticed all depths – that was also a magical moment for them, «said Preuss. A moment to celebrate: Father Georg had a few beer in his black backpack (“We are finally Bavaria”).

At the World Cup last year in the Czech Nové Město Na Moravě, the parents still had to comfort their Franzi when she did not belong to the German Bronze relay because of a sore throat. Prussia also had to do without the home World Cup 2023. But after a sinus surgery surgery, the health roller coaster ride in recent years has finally ended. The overall World Cup leader equalized the German World Cup medal balance of the last two title fights almost alone in the first week in Switzerland.

Of course, this also makes sports director Felix Bitterling happy: “Franzi radiates an incredible serenity and has a lot of self-confidence.” As a reason for the high-altitude flight of “Gold-Franzi”, Bitterling sees in addition to the finally stable health, especially the perfect setup that you have in common found. Preuss only partially trains with the German team and instead is on the road alone.

“You have to take responsibility for yourself and I did that relatively uncompromisingly,” Preuss had explained before the World Cup. This setting fits perfectly with that of the Norwegian co-federal coach Sverre Olsbü Roiseland. He is a very important caregiver for Prussia and was also right behind her on Sunday at the coaching position at the shooting range. “I am proud, she did an incredible job,” said Roiseland.

However, he has to pay expensive this gold medal. In the team meeting in front of the persecution race, he had announced after bronze and silver to have his hair shaved if a German biathlete was to win gold. Roiseland: “Let’s see how I look tomorrow.” You also have to see how Franziska Preuss’s fairy tale will continue in the second World Cup week. In theory, she still has four gold chances and Felix Bitterling says: »She is in a great shape. I wouldn’t set limits. “