Zhangjiakou (dpa) – Vanessa Voigt had a hard time with her failed Olympic premiere. “I have to let the race sink in first,” said the biathlete from Thuringia after she had robbed the German mixed relay of a possible first medal at the start of the Olympics in China early on.
The nervous 24-year-old had two penalties on Saturday in Zhangjiakou, after which she couldn’t do better than fifth place. “I certainly didn’t imagine my debut like this,” said the disappointed Voigt: “I just know now that nervousness plays a big role for me here.”
Voigt struggles with extreme conditions
The quartet of the German Ski Association with starting skier Voigt, Denise Herrmann, Benedikt Doll and Philipp Nawrath never came close to the podium with a total of 18 spare rounds and two penalties. So there was no Olympic medal for a mixed German relay in the third attempt either. In a turbulent race in extreme conditions, Norway secured the Olympic victory despite three penalties from Tiril Eckhoff in front of France and the team from Russia. Norway’s superstar Johannes Thingnes Bö won a gripping final sprint, Sweden was fourth.
“It’s a bit disappointing, but it’s not a given that we’ll get a medal,” said Doll. “We can live with fifth place, even if it just doesn’t do anything.” At the Olympics, only medals count, emphasized the Black Forester: “Here, fifth place is for free, you have to say it like that.”
Problems with standing as well
At temperatures of minus twelve degrees in the late afternoon, start runner Voigt felt the difficult circumstances immediately, even had to go to the penalty loop after prone despite three spare rounds and fell back to 17th place. Voigt also had problems in standing and had to complete an extra loop again. “It bothered me a lot. I’m actually a bit stronger standing. Of course it’s super disappointing that it also goes into the lap,” said Voigt after her first Olympic appearance.
She only handed over to Herrmann in 15th place, when she was already 2:18 minutes behind the leading Norwegians. Since the women’s round was shorter and there was not so much to catch up on the trail, shooting was even more important. Herrmann was able to avoid a penalty and close the gap, while some favorites also struggled up front. “I set off very forcefully and noticed it from the back. In the final lap I also felt the height,” said Herrmann.
Nawrath still made up five places
The Saxon brought the German selection up to tenth place before the change to Doll, France took the lead four years after gold in Pyeongchang when it got dark. Since the top teams shot well up front, but Doll, who was victorious in the World Cup recently, needed two spares while lying down, the race was finally over for the DSV team. Philipp Nawrath, who is already tried and tested as a last runner, started his first Olympic appearance from tenth place and still made up five places.
“We knew it could be a roller coaster ride on the shooting range today. That’s how it happened,” said Nawrath, who wasn’t dissatisfied and showed a small gesture of celebration at the finish: “It’s worth something, a fifth place at the Olympic Games. In the end we got the best out of it.”