Cross-country skiing Olympic champion Katharina Hennig decided not to start in the sprint at the start of the World Championships in Planica. The 26-year-old wants to save energy for the distance races.
Katharina Hennig has already proven this season that she can sprint. The 26-year-old finished fourth in the Tour de Ski, although several strong athletes were missing at the time. Hennig has now decided to Planica not to start the sprint. At the 2021 World Cup in Oberstdorf, the Saxon was still there in the first World Cup decision and finished 27th.
Good sprint chances for Carl
Now she will probably start in the title fights in the skiathlon over 15 km on Saturday. Team sprint Olympic champion Victoria Carl should have the best chances on Thursday (02/23/23). Fifth in the World Championships in 2019 was already fifth in the sprint this winter in Lillehammer. Laura Gimmler also made it into the final of the top six runners once during the course of the season. In addition, Sofie Krehl and Coletta Rydzek also start for the German Ski Association.
The top favorites are the Swede Jonna Sundling and the Norwegian Johannes Hösflot Kläbo. Defending champion Kläbo is the first athlete to win five gold medals at a Nordic World Championships, theoretically even six are possible.