Yanqing (dpa) – Germany’s association president Friedhelm Julius Beucher drew a more than positive conclusion from the first competition weekend at the Winter Paralympics in Beijing.
“We were so happily surprised to start with four medals on the first day,” said Beucher. “The start is completely okay,” explained Chef de Mission Karl Quade: “It’s a pity that it wasn’t enough for first place. But it’ll be settled at the end.”
Overall, the German Disabled Sports Association won five medals on the opening weekend, four silver and one bronze. Because gold is missing, Germany is only twelfth in the medal table. However, in terms of the number of podiums, only China (16), Ukraine (7) and Canada (6) were more successful.
The young biathletes were particularly surprising on Saturday with three medals. The fact that this was also helped by the absence of the excluded Russians doesn’t make Beucher’s success any less valuable. “Whether injured or not allowed, the competition takes place among those who are at the start,” he said: “And the absence of the Russians is not unfair and it is not through no fault of their own.” Quade also explained: “Yes, that opens up new possibilities. But that applies to everyone.”
The fact that gold hope Anna-Lena Forster has won silver twice so far is not considered a disappointment by either of them. “Those were two strong performances. She fully fulfills her role as a favourite,” said Beucher: “It could have been gold both times. And the hope is still there.” For Quade, “two second places are an outstanding result. And their special disciplines are still to come.”