The non-nomination for the Olympic Winter Games in Beijing hit two-time Olympic ski jumping champion Andreas Wellinger.
“It was extremely depressing,” the 26-year-old told Sky Sport on Friday. Wellinger had tested positive for the corona virus in the previous week. Instead of fighting for the Olympic ticket at the World Cup in Titisee-Neustadt, he had to isolate himself.
For the winter games in China (February 4th to 20th) he was not considered by national coach Stefan Horngacher.
“It’s depressing that you don’t get the chance, especially in the hot phase, when I was doing well and could have qualified,” said Wellinger, who was Olympic in 2014 in Sochi with the team and in 2018 in Pyeongchang on the normal hill won gold. He is not aware of where he could have been infected. Therefore, there is no reproach against anyone “and not against myself”.
He doesn’t have a concrete plan at the moment. He hopes that his teammates in Beijing “get through fit, they all deserve it and are in good shape,” said Wellinger. “I would be ready just in case, and then we have to see how we can manage it logistically.” It’s not easy, you need two to three tests in advance. “But I hope it doesn’t come to that.”