“I won’t let myself be unsettled that easily. There will be attacks in the next few days”, Anja Wicker had emphasized in a combative manner after her unsatisfactory start to the Paralympics, especially when it came to shooting. The world champion was only fifth in the sprint.
In the ten-kilometer race on Tuesday, she then set an exclamation mark: Wicker won bronze. After gold and silver in Sochi 2014, this is the third Paralympic medal for the 30-year-old. Gold went to the Ukrainian-born American Oksana Masters, who already won her third medal in Beijing. Masters had already won at the start of the biathlon competitions.
Silver – Fleig also breaks the spell
Martin Fleig also wanted to “attack” after previously unsatisfactory ideas in Beijing. And he also succeeded brilliantly: silver in the ten-kilometer race for the German flag bearer – Fleig’s second Paralympic medal after gold in Pyeongchang four years ago.
Ten kilometers visually impaired: three Germans at the start
“Have fun, gain experience, check my performance”, is the motto of Johanna Recktenwald. The 20-year-old finished a respectable seventh in her Paralympic debut in the sprint. Now she’s competing in the middle distance, which is four kilometers longer.
Leonie Maria Walter gained even more than experience in the past three days – namely bronze in the biathlon sprint and only on Monday in the classic cross-country style. Can the 18-year-old create the next surprise just 24 hours later? In the men’s competition, which is dominated by the Ukrainian starters, Nico Messinger gets his next assignment after seventh place in the sprint.