Beijing (dpa) – The Olympic Winter Games in Beijing, which were controversial before the opening, are being praised more and more by German starters.
“There was a lot of criticism and assumptions beforehand, but my impression is very positive,” said cross-country skier Katharina Hennig, one day after winning silver in the women’s 4 x 5 km relay. “The games are characterized by Corona. They are successful games under these conditions,” she said. Hennig likes the Olympic village in Zhangjiakou “even better” than the one in Pyeongchang four years ago.
Skeleton Olympic champion Hannah Neise also felt at home in Yanqing. “It’s a small village, but that also made it cozy,” she said. She is also enthusiastic about the voluntary helpers, “who greet you warmly”. That’s why her assessment of her stay in China is positive: “It’s a nice experience to be here.”
Tobogganist Natalie Geisenberger had strongly criticized organizational deficiencies in the pre-Olympic tests, but after her competitions and three Olympic victories, she also judged the processes and conditions at the Beijing Games positively.