Next medal for ski jumper Katharina Althaus. With bronze, however, the woman from Oberstdorf missed a record. There was also a surprise world champion.
Ski jumper Katharina Althaus also won a medal on the large hill. After three gold medals, the woman from Oberstdorf flew to bronze on Wednesday (03/01/2023). With distances of 126.0 and 128.0 meters, the 26-year-old was only beaten by surprise world champion Alexandia Loutitt from Canada and Maren Lundby from Norway.
Mechler: “Congratulations and respect”
With changing winds, frequently changing inruns in the first round and snowfall in the second round, Althaus kept his nerve and celebrated third place in the first round and third place in the final. And national coach Maximilian Mechler was also satisfied: “To do such a competition with these signs and to come third – congratulations and respect. Now she has to catch her breath and let everything sink in and digest the competition. If you get a medal after such a competition, you have to be satisfied.”
Althaus already won her fourth medal in the fourth competition in Planica, previously on the normal hill, she had flown to gold in the team and mixed team.
Althaus misses gold record
Althaus also flew past a record with the missed gold. The 26-year-old could have won her eighth World Championship title, which was previously only achieved by the Austrian Thomas Morgenstern. In addition, Althaus would be the only ski jumper to collect four world championship titles at one world championship. Althaus belongs to the select circle with Gregor Schlierenzauer, Thomas Morgenstern and Markus Eisenbichler, who won three gold medals at a World Cup.
Friday and Hessler on 19 and 26
Pauline Hessler and Selina Freitag missed the top places. Team and Mixed Team World Champion Freitag went into the jumping with cautious hopes for a podium, but fell victim to the difficult wind conditions on the large hill in the first round. With a tailwind and little start-up, Freitag landed after 110.0 meters and was 26th. With 124.0 meters in the final, she was able to improve by seven places and finished 19th.
Hessler was 26th in her world championship debut with 106.0 and 115.0 meters. After finishing 18th in the first round, she lost eight places in the final. Hessler also caught bad wind and said after the competition in the sports show: “The conditions were very changeable. It was windy on the first jump, and snow came on the second. Bad luck, next time it will be better.”
Mechler: “Such a mess”
National coach Maximilian Mechler made a face in both rounds and shook his head: “From our point of view, you would have to wait longer for everyone to jump in the same conditions. For everyone to have a tailwind or everyone to have an updraft. And not such a mess.”the 39-year-old scolded after the first jump in the sports show.