Wednesday, September 22, 2021
Once bronze at Trampoline-DM
The athletic highlight of the candidate
Over 20 years ago, Annalena Baerbock cleared the German trampoline championships. Starting for TSV Pattensen, she wins the bronze medal in the double mini tramp discipline. A short time later, the chancellor candidate gives up the sport.
When Dorothee Christlieb follows the many TV debates and Trielle before the federal election, she recognizes “her” little Annalena a bit. “It has always been refreshing in the past with what calm she argued. Of course, I follow her election campaign very closely,” said the 73-year-old of the Green Chancellor candidate Annalena Baerbock.
Hardly anyone outside of her own family knows the 40-year-old politician as well as her long-time trainer. As a trampoline trainer at TSV Pattensen, from school to high school, Christlieb was one of Baerbock’s most important people: “We were very familiar with each other. Sometimes we saw each other six days a week.”
Because Baerbock was definitely a talent. Twist and double somersaults led the Lower Saxon to the national top. And at the 1999 German Championships in Schlangen, he even won a bronze medal in the non-Olympic discipline of the double mini-trampoline.
Sport as a career engine
At that point, however, Baerbock and Christlieb’s twelve-year journey was almost over, due to the start of a degree in political science in Hamburg. Christlieb fondly thinks back to that time together: “Annalena was always a team player. And she was reliable, ambitious and courageous.” Qualities that made Baerbock rise quickly on the political career ladder.
And that’s why the pensioner is also happy to see how her former student has developed. “It is very nice that a young woman of her stature was given the opportunity to take such an opportunity,” says Christlieb, who has also thought about an alternative: “If the chancellorship does not work out, I am sure that Annalena would also do the job of a minister well. “
Because discipline was and is a trademark of the mother of two daughters who now go to school. “As a trampoline gymnast, it quickly became clear to me that I could only take part in German championships with discipline,” said Baerbock in an interview with Radio Bremen.
Ice instead of training
Accordingly, the athlete felt uncomfortable when she skipped an exercise unit: “When I was 15 years old with my boyfriend at the time eating ice cream instead of training, I had a guilty conscience afterwards.”
But now only a small leisure trampoline in the shared office with co-chairman Robert Habeck reminds of her sporting past. Christlieb also still has tangible and visible memories of her protégé. Before moving to Hamburg, Baerbock gave her a farewell book – with a very personal dedication.