Zhangjiakou (dpa) – Andrea Rothfuss cried uncontrollably after her redeeming medal in the fifth games. Martin Fleig fought back tears after the announcement of the end of his career, Anna-Lena Forster was comforted directly at the finish after the bitter fourth place.
Great emotions characterized the third to last competition day of the Paralympics among the German athletes. Once again, only the youngest remained cool: 15-year-old Linn Kazmaier and Leonie Walter, three years older, who each won their fourth biathlon medal in China.
No, she hasn’t shed a tear of joy at these games, assured Kazmaier, the second youngest athlete ever at these games. “But after my first medal, I jumped around the room like a bouncy ball.” She has now won three silver and one bronze. The three seconds behind gold over the long distance therefore only worried her briefly. She saved gold for the season on Sunday, “or for four years”.
“Chicken-WG” gets eight medals
Walter commented on her fourth medal in a similarly relaxed manner, three bronze medals and one gold medal. “In terms of running, I would have done better,” she said, “but I’m very happy to have taken this medal with me.” But with all composure: So far eight medals from the “chicks-WG”, as the two roommates are called within the team, are certainly the biggest German sensation in China.
Rothfuss also provided a positive surprise. The 32-year-old took bronze in the standing giant slalom and also returns from her fifth games with a medal. There are now 14 in total. “But this medal is the best and most beautiful. It even surpasses the golden one from Sochi,” Rothfuss assured: “I dreamed of it, but I didn’t think it was possible. But I made the impossible possible.”
Forster, on the other hand, who actually won the medals, was disappointed, with the monoski missing six hundredths to bronze. “I’m just disappointed,” said the 26-year-old, who was immediately given a comforting hug by team doctor Hartmut Stinus: “I couldn’t perform at all and just slowed down from top to bottom.” In addition to one gold and two silvers in Beijing, gold should come again on Saturday in the final slalom. “In any case,” said Forster: “That’s my discipline.”
Forster ends his career
The day was completely disappointing for Forster’s co-flag bearer at the opening ceremony, Martin Fleig. After eight shooting errors, the biathlete was only 13th and penultimate. And ended, if not spontaneously, his career. “I decided before Beijing to end my career after the games,” said the 32-year-old, visibly moved in a cracked voice.
“I feel very comfortable with it. It’s exactly the right time to put a line under it,” said the Freiburger: “Beijing was another wonderful experience. And I’m incredibly grateful that I managed to get a medal again.” He had won silver in the middle distance. The highlight remains gold over 15 kilometers four years ago in Pyeongchang, Fleig will start for the last time on Sunday in the cross-country relay. And he speculates on a medal at the end: “We’ll knock every grain out again. Maybe it’s enough.”