Heartbeat final in Lenzerheide: Franziska Preuß reacted with great emotions to her silver medal at the biathlon World Cup.
The German biathlete Franziska Preuss celebrated her silver win with a wide grin over the sprint distance of the biathlon World Cup.
“I was really emotional,” said the 30-year-old after her silver coup. “I went through many tough days because of biathlon. It is not a matter of course that it will work again. If someone appreciates it, then I, because I just know the downside like no other.”
With silver in the biathlon sprint in Lenzerheide, the 30-year-old celebrated the podium ten years after her first World Cup individual medal. The Bavarian lacked 9.8 seconds to the Frenchwoman Justine Braisaz-Bouchet, who ran on the final round as unleashed. Bronze went to the Finn Suvi Minkkinen, which was only 0.2 seconds behind Prussia.
This second World Cup medal means “really a lot,” said Preuss. “I have already noticed that I have a small backpack with me”. This was now “easier. I just wanted to prove myself that I could also make it on the podium at the climax.”
Preuss had often ended up in the top 10 at the World Championships. This time she started with the “Top or Flop” route. “I’m totally happy that it worked out so well.”
Prussia is steep: “The whole season is incredible”
She didn’t annoy the fact that she narrowly scanned past gold. She “didn’t want to use time to grieve,” said sports director Felix Bitterling. “Being fit at a world championship, second place is fantastic. The starting position in the pursuer is just as good. A great day.”
If you know what the World Cup leader “has been going through the past few years”, all of this is even higher, said women’s national coach Sverre Olsbu Röiseland: “The whole season is incredible.”
There may be further precious metal at the World Cup. Preuss starts on Sunday (12.05 p.m. live in sport.de-Ticker) in the persecution. There she wanted to “attack fully focused again,” said Preuss.
She has already reached her big goal of individual medal directly at the start. “I hope that you will be at the start with more serenity. But when the day is there, you may still perform as much as possible.” With the season, she had already won World Cup bronze during the week.