At eight in the morning Günther Weidle is back at work this Tuesday, “life goes on”. And yet this day, which began for him and his wife Martina at four o’clock in front of the television, is different. Daughter Kira started at the Olympic Games in Beijing as one of the favorites in the downhill – and just missed a medal. The 25-year-old ski racer finished fourth in her favorite discipline. “That’s the most thankless place at the Olympic Games,” says father Günther Weidle dryly. He seems to understand his daughter’s enormous disappointment that this is “not what Kira was hoping for”. But: “For 99.99 percent of people, that’s gigantic.”
Matthias Pohlus, head coach of the Starnberg Ski Club, had also set the alarm clock to be able to follow the race of his former protégé live. “Pretty sad,” is his conclusion. “The only thing that counts at the Olympic Games is medals – and she came so close.” The Starnberg native was 14 hundredths short, “that’s a blink of an eye”. Pohlus trained Weidle as a child before she went to ski boarding school at the age of 15. He knows the ambition of the athlete, her fighting spirit. Such a narrow failure – “that’s bitter”.
Last year, she proved that Weidle is one of the best in the world with her runner-up title at the world championships. Her next goal was an Olympic medal. “And she gets them too,” says Pohlus. The 58-year-old is convinced that top athletes need setbacks in order to gain the necessary strength for the next success. “I’m sure Kira will do something with it.” In any case, the ski club is proud to have an Olympian in its ranks and “one who competes for medals”. As annoying as fourth place is: Kira’s race was a top performance, “one can only congratulate him,” said Pohlus.
“She drove a very good race,” says Starnberg’s District Administrator Stefan Frey (CSU). He lives in the immediate vicinity of the Weidle family and knows Kira from several personal encounters. She was “really likeable – a fighter”. Frey says bad luck and luck are so close together here that Weidle shouldn’t let his head hang. “I can only encourage you to look ahead: after the Olympics is before the Olympics,” said Frey.
Congratulations and words of encouragement: Father Günther Weidle sent his daughter a Whatsapp message right after the race. Matthias Pohlus already had his mobile phone in his hand, “but they don’t have their private phones with them in Beijing,” he remembered. He intends to send his congratulations to Weidle’s parents. Despite the currently depressed mood, it is clear to them: When Kira comes home on Sunday, there will be a celebration.