Zhangjiakou (dpa) – Katharina Hennig and Victoria Carl jumped jubilantly onto the winner’s podium and danced for joy in the freezing cold of Zhangjiakou.
“It’s indescribable,” said Hennig after the first Olympic victory for German cross-country skiers in twelve years. “We’re both emotionally overwhelmed right now, which we managed to do today.” The 25-year-old Hennig and Carl, who only slipped into the team for a short time, not only caused a cross-country sensation with their amazing triumph, they also gave their team boss a very special present.
Hennig: “Can’t get it right yet”
“That was a top-class birthday present, what the girls thought about,” said the overwhelmed Peter Schlickenrieder, who turned 52 on Wednesday. “Today we will definitely dance and celebrate birthdays,” he announced, adding: “We are so fresh!”
On the way to the great triumph, freshness, but also dancing, played an important role. Every day at 10 to 10, the team opened the doors and danced together. Salsa, techno, hard rock – women’s trainer Erik Schneider had everything in his playlists as a DJ, Schlickenrieder reported and laughed. Carl said: “Dancing is just freeing. We were more relaxed than ever. I think that’s a little key that helped us.”
A good hour before the big interview marathon, Hennig had literally shouted at her teammate across the finish line in the Chinese mountains. Then she had looked uncertainly at the scoreboard and then thrown her arms around Carl’s neck with a mixture of disbelief and joy.
In a magnificent final sprint, the 26-year-old Carl made the victory in the team sprint perfect against the favored Swedes, who took silver, and the third-placed Russians. Evi Dingebacher-Stehle and Claudia Nystad had previously won the last German cross-country gold in Vancouver in 2010 – also in the team sprint.
Schlickenrieder fights back tears
“We feel like we’re in the wrong film. We still can’t really believe what we’ve done,” reported Hennig. And Carl said, “I’m full of adrenaline. I don’t know what to do. I’m walking around like counterfeit money.”
Schlickenrieder fought back tears in the ARD interview. “It’s a brutal dream. I have to pull myself together a bit. It will probably only be realized in ten or 20 years,” said the former world-class runner. “I think I could cry all day.”
For Hennig and Carl it was already the second precious metal in the games. Last Saturday they won silver in the relay together with Katherine Sauerbrey and Sofie Krehl.
Carl replaces Hennig partner Sauerbrey
Sauerbrey was actually intended for the team sprint. According to the German Ski Association (DSV), the 24-year-old did not feel 100% fit and therefore did not compete. “I have to pay a huge amount of respect to Katherine,” said her rep, Carl. “If you have the feeling that you’re not in top form and then don’t do it: That’s absolute madness. That shows so much greatness.” Hennig nodded in agreement.
Sauerbrey’s surrogate turned out to be a godsend. In bright sunshine and temperatures in the double-digit minus range, the two Germans were able to keep up with the pace of the top duos right from the start. At the last change, Hennig was just ahead of Finland and the USA when she handed over to Carl.
“I said to Katha before: I’ll destroy her on the home straight,” said Carl. “I knew that I could push, that that was my strength. No sooner said than done.” Above all, Schlickenrieder could hardly believe her idea. “If we get to the final, that’s great,” he said after the change. “And then Vicky does something she’s never done before.”
Carl in China in the shape of her life
Carl is in the form of her life at the Winter Games and made a decisive contribution to the two big and unexpected medal wins of the German cross-country aces. In 2018 in Pyeongchang, the cross-country skiers went without a medal, in 2014 in Sochi there was bronze for the women’s relay with Nicole Fessel, Stefanie Böhler, Nystad and Denise Herrmann. It was not foreseeable that this time there would be two precious metals and even an Olympic victory to celebrate.
The men were unlucky in the team sprint. Albert Kuchler and Janosch Brugger were eliminated in the semifinals. Brugger lost a ski on the last lap and thus had no chance to fight for the final. The two Norwegians Erik Valnes and Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo secured the Olympic victory ahead of the Finnish couple Iivo Niskanen/Joni Maki and the Russian duo Alexander Bolschunow/Alexander Terentew.