Olympics: tears after winning silver for combined athletes

The silver medal in the Nordic Combined was briefly overshadowed by concerns about Eric Frenzel. He is now well again and overwhelmed by the performance of his teammates. At first he didn’t want to be completely happy about his record medal.

Something was different at the award ceremony after the team competition in Nordic combined. Shortly before, the DSV combined athletes Manuel Faißt, Julian Schmid, Eric Frenzel and Vinzenz Geiger had been in a dramatic race Won silver at the Olympics. But only three of the quartet made it onto the podium. Missing: Eric Frenzel.

Germany’s record combined athlete was just on the mend, he collapsed after his five-kilometer run at the finish. At the end of his second lap, Frenzel had lost his strength and had to let his competitors go. The hoped-for repetition of the gold triumph from 2018 was gone.

The all-clear from the national coach and the doctor

Completely exhausted, also due to the consequences of his corona infection, and hypothermic due to the freezing cold, Frenzel was at the finish line, explained national coach Hermann Weinbuch: “But he’s doing better. He’s recovering now.”

German team doctor Stefan Pecher doesn’t think anything will stick with Frenzel. “Certainly the stress was a bit high due to the high initial pace after the quarantine, but health damage is not to be expected.” There was no health risk. “I was assured beforehand that everything is fine,” said Frenzel.

Frenzel only found out about the medal later

Frenzel was first released from corona isolation two days before the race been, but had convinced in the few training sessions and stuff Joahnnes Rydzek ousted from the team. Now this decision almost cost the planned medal.

Thanks to the strong Vinzenz Geiger, the German team managed to win silver. Frenzel himself didn’t notice the decision at first: “I just found out that we won silver,” said the 33-year-old from Saxony in an interview with Sportschau almost 40 minutes after crossing the finish line.

After the race, Frenzel was on a rollercoaster of emotions: “I’m overjoyed that the three have eliminated what I screwed up.” On the other hand, he was annoyed with his performance. “I still have to process the fact that it’s a happy ending. I’m still harder on myself that I didn’t quite get it across as I hoped.” Nevertheless, joy prevailed.

Frenzel with renewed criticism of isolation

These Olympic Games were the most difficult of his career. When entering China, Frenzel experienced the corona shock: a positive test result. “It was very hard when we got the news. We initially hoped that it was a false positive.”

Frenzel and his teammate Terence Weber had to isolate themselves in a special hotel. No training was possible – only light cardio. There was almost every day new messages, health status and when Frenzel could return to the team. “They weren’t easy days.”

Frenzel would have wished that all athletes who tested positive had been prepared for a twelve-day isolation from the start. After all, it took all the athletes that long before they were able to leave the hotel again. The constant hope of getting out early, only to be disappointed again, weighed heavily on him: “I was mentally very low.”

From isolation to silver and record

After twelve days of isolation and only a few units on the hill and the course, he went onto the winner’s podium – or rather to the silver medal. And thus also a record.

Although the Norwegian Jörgen Graabak is the most successful combined athlete at the Olympic Winter Games in terms of his four gold medals, only the Austrian Felix Gottwald collected as many Olympic medals as Frenzel – seven in total.

Geiger takes Frenzel’s absence with humor

The fact that Frenzel was unable to be present at the award ceremony – the so-called Venue Ceremony – will not leave any major scars in the opinion of his teammates. “He’s had so many moments there, he can certainly imagine what it was like,” said teammate Vinzenz Geiger with a laugh.

Geiger took the mascot, which everyone receives on the podium, for his teammate. Much more important, however, is the presentation of the medals. This takes place the day after the race. And Frenzel will definitely keep his three teammates company again.

Source: sportschau.de