Saturday, October 16, 2021
Own camp as a result
Turn-Star draws conclusions from abuse
The German Gymnastics Federation no longer lets its athletes be looked after by the controversial trainer Gabi Frehse. Ex-world champion Pauline Schäfer-Betz even goes one step further and founds her own camp – with a clear stance.
What she herself had to endure for years should not play a role in Pauline Schäfer-Betz’s second career. A year ago the former balance beam world champion made the training methods of her controversial supervisor Gabi Frehse public, now the 24-year-old wants to do better – and has founded the “Grip & Grow Gymnastics” gymnastics camp in Chemnitz.
Women: Pauline Schäfer-Betz
Men: Andreas Bretschneider, Felix Remuta, Carlo Hörr, Glenn Trebing, Dario Sissakis
The World Cup schedule:
Mon., October 18 to Wed., October 20: Qualification (2:45 a.m. each time).
Thu., October 21: all-around finals for women (11.30 a.m.).
Fri., October 22: All-around final for men (11.20 a.m.).
Sat., October 23: Apparatus finals men and women (11.00 a.m.).
Sun., October 24th: machine finals, men and women (10.30 a.m.).
“Fear, hunger, pressure and tears have no place with us. We have made it our task to break with outdated gymnastics traditions and authoritarian training regimes,” promise Schäfer-Betz and her trainer and partner Andreas Bretschneider. The alternative to Frehse’s methodology.
The Saxon gymnastics duo will perhaps be together for the last time next week, but they will still be competing at the World Championships in Kitakyushu, Japan. Because after the rejection of the Olympic participants in Tokyo, the German Gymnastics Federation (DTB) nominated the already 32-year-old high bar specialist for the World Championships, as did Schäfer-Betz, who represents the DTB as a soloist in the Far Eastern Empire.
“Strengthening the Personality”
While the world title fights in Asia are likely to be synonymous with Bretschneider’s departure from international competition, his partner is planning a dual plan and wants to be a competitive athlete and trainer at the same time – for the time being until the Olympics in Paris. Schäfer-Betz: “Of course I am aiming to take part in the European home championships next year. And then 2024 will not be that far either.”
But even before that, the Saarland native wants to “share experiences and pass on knowledge as a mentor and supervisor in her camp. We are concerned with self-confidence and strengthening our personality.”
In this area in particular, Schäfer-Betz and other gymnasts in Chemnitz denounced considerable deficits in the dominant Frehse. The current situation is in process: The termination of the 61-year-olds by the Olympic base has been declared legally ineffective, but the DTB no longer wants Frehse to look after its female squad.
Because of this tense atmosphere, Schäfer-Betz’s trip to Japan is not inconvenient. “Being the only starter is a special challenge, but I like challenges.” Like Grip & Grow, for example.