After surviving the corona infection, Franziska Preuß returns to the German biathlon team. Teammate Selina Grotian, who is also ill, is still out. The return of the overall World Cup winner Preuß gives hope for a possible first podium finish for the German biathletes this season.
Franziska Preuß is struggling with her body again this season. After the world champion had to cancel the sprint and pursuit at the opening weekend in Östersund, the World Cup in Hochfilzen was completely canceled the following weekend. That wasn’t quite the start to the Olympic season that Preuß had imagined.
Now she is returning to the DSV squad in France. How much energy the illnesses have cost will be shown for the first time on Thursday during the sprint. Last season, she demonstrated what Preuß is capable of when her body cooperates throughout the entire season with her overall World Cup victory.
An individual podium is still missing this season
Without Preuß and Grotian, the German biathletes won third place in the relay race in Hochfilzen. In the sprint, Vanessa Voigt ran in seventh place and Anna Weidel in eighth place. And that despite Weidel having scored two penalties. The running form seems to be fine. If she can also shoot flawlessly, Anna Weidel will also be a podium candidate for the German team.
The return of Franziska Preuß means that overall medal hopes are growing again. The 16-time World Cup winner, bronze winner at the 2022 Olympics and overall World Cup winner last season has a great chance of being on the podium again this season.
Preuß replaces Marlene Fichtner in the DSV squad, which also includes Janina Hettich-Walz, Vanessa Voigt, Julia Tannheimer, Anna Weidel and Julia Kink. Weidel had already secured her Olympic ticket with two top ten placements in Hochfilzen.
German men still in full force
Among the men, Philipp Horn, Philipp Nawrath, Justus Strelow, David Zobel, Danilo Riethmüller and Simon Kaiser are taking part in the last World Cup of the year. Horn secured the first podium of his career with third place in the sprint in Hochfilzen. The 31-year-old also impressed with fourth place in the pursuit.
Philipp Horn on the podium in Hochfilzen