Zhangjiakou (dpa) – The Olympic mascot was on the podium, which was actually intended for Eric Frenzel. The completely exhausted and hypothermic Nordic Combined athlete was missing from his team’s silver award.
A good half hour after what was probably his last race at the Winter Games, the 33-year-old had recovered. “I just found out that we won silver,” said Frenzel and smiled. “I’m so happy.”
After the team competition, Frenzel was completely exhausted and was accompanied by supervisors through the ice-cold Zhangjiakou Olympic cross-country stadium just three days after the end of his corona quarantine. Before that he had been lying in the snow for about a minute.
“Now I’m fine again. I felt very bad on the track. It’s been a long time since I had such a tough race,” he said. “The Corona thing will probably have done the rest,” Weinbuch said of Frenzel’s physical condition immediately after his team assignment.
Japan surprise in third place
In a gripping race, final runner Vinzenz Geiger secured the silver medal for the German combined athletes in China. Geiger, Frenzel, Manuel Faißt and Julian Schmid only had to admit defeat to the superior Norwegians. Surprisingly, bronze went to Japan.
The gap between the Germans and gold was 54.9 seconds at the finish. For Weinbuch’s team it was the second medal at these Winter Games after Geiger’s Olympic victory in the individual competition on the normal hill. “They were perfect games for me,” said Geiger. “I’m over the moon with two medals in my bag.”
At temperatures around minus ten degrees, the German combined athletes started the decisive cross-country race over 4 x 5 kilometers in third place. In ski jumping from the large hill, the Austrians and Norwegians, who competed without their high-flyer Jarl Magnus Riiber after his corona infection, were slightly better.
Frenzel not as strong as usual after quarantine
Starting runner Faißt, who had moved up to the team, took the lead early on and handed it over to Schmid. The 22-year-old lost a little on Austria and Norway. When Frenzel started, he was 4.2 seconds behind the leader. However, the veteran had big problems, fell further behind and sent anchor Geiger into the race in fourth place, around 26 seconds behind silver and bronze. The man from Oberstdorf showed a furious mileage and led the team onto the podium.
Frenzel, who had tested positive for the corona virus when he entered China, had only trained on the gigantic ski jump for the first time the day before the competition. There and at the cross-country test, he convinced national coach Weinbuch. The experienced coach nominated the Saxon and did without the two-time Olympic champion from Pyeongchang, Johannes Rydzek.
Frenzel, who kept fit during quarantine by jogging in the room and on the ergometer, jumped 132 meters. Only Geiger from the German team managed another set. On the running track, however, Frenzel was not nearly as strong as usual. “I’m glad the others fixed what I messed up,” he said. “I’m grateful that the boys performed so well that we still won silver.”
Seventh Olympic medal for Frenzel
Frenzel has already won the seventh Olympic medal of his career. After the hard days of isolation, this should have a very special meaning, even if it didn’t go gold like once in 2014 and twice in 2018. Frenzel’s mother, who works as an educator, was excited about her work with the children.
With two medals now, one can “be very proud,” said Weinbuch, who announced that he would no longer be the national coach at the upcoming Winter Games. When classifying the balance sheet, the 61-year-old also referred to the special circumstances – his team had to cope with two corona cases. In addition to Frenzel, teammate Terence Weber, who was replaced by Faißt, also tested positive in Beijing. Four years ago, the ski jump and running all-rounders had won three golds, one silver and one bronze.