Beijing (dpa) – With a self-made poster for their missing couple in the Olympic team competition in Beijing, the German figure skating team provided an emotional moment.
After the short program by Paul Fentz from Berlin, the whole team gathered in front of the TV camera, individual runner Nicole Schott held up the poster with photos of Nolan Seegert, who was in corona quarantine, and his partner Minerva Hase and the inscription “We miss you”. “The mood is still good. It’s no good if we all pull ourselves down. We’re a strong team,” said Fentz and revealed: “The girls made the poster, they’re a little more creative than the boys.”
Seegert had tested positive for the corona virus after arriving in Beijing and must remain in quarantine until he can show two negative PCR tests within 24 hours. Due to the failure of his pair, the German team has no chance in the first Olympic competition, since only five of the ten teams reach the final anyway. The aim of the German figure skaters is therefore eighth place in order to secure Olympic funding for the next four years.
Ice dancers Katharina Müller/Tim Dieck (Berlin/Dortmund) also performed on the first of three days of competition in a team comparison.
The start was not ideal. Fentz was unable to complete his short program as planned and finished last. “I was far too fast with the toe loop, too full of energy. The only thing left for me was the double combination. It wasn’t planned that way,” said the German champion. Since the 29-year-old was only registered for the team competition, the Winter Games are already over for him. “I’ll take part in the opening ceremony, I’ll fly home again on February 7th.”
Seegert and Hase still have a chance at their competition. In pair skating, the 8th place at the European Championships will only be fighting for the medals on February 18th and 19th. Enough time to test yourself out of the quarantine and to be able to train before the competition.