After Herrmann-Wicks Gold
Biathletes: From now on “everything is extra”
After Denise Herrmann-Wick, who has a chance of a medal? photo
© Hendrik Schmidt/dpa
Is Sprint Gold just the beginning? The German Ski Association slows down the euphoria after Denise Herrmann-Wick’s World Cup victory. But the next chance for a medal is already waiting.
Biathlon sports director Felix Bitterling from the German Ski Association hopes that Denise Herrmann-Wick’s world championship title will give the entire German team a boost at the atmospheric home game in Oberhof.
“It will also be good for the men’s team,” said Bitterling in Thuringia, but didn’t want to fall into euphoria either. “There’s certainly nothing impossible, but it’s still appropriate that we keep our feet on the ground for a bit. We’re enjoying this day for now.”
In any case, Herrmann-Wick’s impressive sprint gold is “sensational and is very good for the whole team,” said Bitterling. The women’s head coach Kristian Mehringer also agreed: “You’re relieved when you win a gold medal, that’s all bonus now, especially for the girls.”
chance for another medal
But already on Sunday (1.25 p.m. / ZDF and Eurosport) Herrmann-Wick has the chance of another medal in the pursuit. “If you start with number one, then it won’t be the goal to finish tenth,” said Bitterling: “There’s really only full throttle, attacking and defending number one.” The 34-year-old Saxon Herrmann-Wick praised Bitterling as an “amazing athlete”.
Mehringer has even more confidence in the former cross-country skier at the highlight of the season on the Rennsteig. “She’s relaxed, if she takes that into the competitions, we can look forward to the next few days,” said the Bavarian. Herrmann-Wick was sixth at the start of the World Cup with the German mixed relay. After the sprint and pursuit, there are more chances for a medal in the individual – there she won Olympic gold in Beijing last year – in the mass start, with the women’s relay and possibly even in the single mixed.