Ski Flying World Championships
Former coach Schuster: Wellinger went from being a talent to being a worker
This winter Andreas Wellinger is back among the world’s best. photo
© Czarek Sokolowski/AP
For most of his career, Andreas Wellinger was looked after by Werner Schuster. The former coach still keeps a close eye on the ski jumper’s development.
Long-time national coach Werner Schuster sees the ski jumping star’s career Andreas Wellinger maximally positive.
“Back then he went from being a talent to being a worker. He won the Olympics, he was a focused athlete back then. He has extreme clarity in his actions. That’s a very solid foundation,” Schuster told the German Press Agency before Ski Flying World Championships at the Kulm in Bad Mitterndorf this weekend.
The 54-year-old Austrian was national coach from 2008 to 2019 and looked after Wellinger in the early years of his professional career. “He has an eventful story behind him. It’s like a second career after the long break. He can take things differently as a grown man and has real fire in him again. For him it’s like a second career,” said Schuster.
Wellinger won individual Olympic gold in Pyeongchang, South Korea in 2018, but then had to cope with some sporting setbacks and a torn cruciate ligament. This winter he is back at the top of the world. At the Four Hills Tournament he took second place overall. “He is definitely a candidate for a medal at the Kulm,” said Schuster. Wellinger is one of the favorites alongside Austria’s Stefan Kraft.