Oslo (AP) – After the furious end of his long career, Erik Lesser first got a kiss from his loved one.
His partner Nadine and little daughter Anouk were waiting at the finish line at the legendary Holmenkollen in Oslo, to the cheers of thousands of fans and the homage of his teammates and competitors. You will have all the attention of the 33-year-old retired biathlete in the future.
“I have to fight back tears so that I don’t get too soft here,” said the otherwise rather rational Lesser on ZDF. Despite his grandiose farewell performance with the pursuit victory and fourth place on Sunday in the final mass start, one thing is clear: there will be no resignation from retirement. “No way,” Lesser said.
Lesser delivered
Lesser could hardly have imagined it any more cheesy: After his farewell announcement three weeks ago, he delivered like seldom before. The highlight was his third World Cup victory and the audience with the Norwegian King Harald at the cradle of Nordic skiing and in perfect weather. “I’m absolutely amazed. I can’t quite process the victory and the whole last three weeks,” said the Thuringian, who had previously celebrated Franziska Preuss’s second place in the mass start. If he hadn’t had two penalties in his favorite discipline, prone, he would have been fighting for victory again.
“He will be missed,” said Denise Herrmann. His long-time friend Arnd Peiffer, who came especially for the farewell party of his former roommate, said: “Germany is losing a good athlete. But I think he is an extremely good coach.”
After Olympic champion Peiffer (34) and former world champion Simon Schempp (33), ex-world champion Lesser is the next leader. And one of the most opinionated and critical athletes, especially towards himself. His opinion will still be in demand, perhaps also as a TV expert. “I can imagine that,” he told the German Press Agency. But now he’s going on vacation – in Norway. Then he takes a longer break and focuses on the family. After that he starts his coaching education. The path has long been marked out with the German association.
light and shadow
Franziska Preuss also rewarded herself again at the end of a season that was frustrating for her. Preuss had to pause for a long time due to a foot injury and a corona infection, had doubts and could hardly exploit her potential. After Olympic bronze with the relay, things got better and better towards the end of the season. “It was a tough time, I don’t need it again. If everything goes normally, I’ll be there and I have to take that with me as motivation in the preparation for the new season,” said the 28-year-old.
Overall, the German ski hunters experienced a season of ups and downs. Outstanding were Denise Herrmann’s individual Olympic victory and Olympic bronze in the women’s relay, the men remained without a medal for the second time after 2010. While the women only achieved one World Cup success through Herrmann, the men in Johannes Kühn, Benedikt Doll and Lesser were three athletes at the top. The German team took a total of 17 podium finishes, six for women and nine for men, plus two in the mixed relays.
After the resignations of Lesser, Maren Hammerschmidt and Karolin Horchler, it remains to be seen whether Herrmann will retire as well. The 33-year-old has fulfilled her sporting goals, is building a house in Ruhpolding with her fiancé Thomas Wick and wants to start a family at some point. It is quite possible that she too will say goodbye before the home World Cup next year in Oberhof. Vanessa Voigt (24) showed her potential with her first World Cup podium as the sprint second in Otepää. And Janina Hettich, who was not included in the Olympics, got in better shape towards the end of the season.