Record Olympian and Bobstar
Pechstein and Friedrich carry the German flag
2/3/2022 8:23 am
For a long time it was unclear who was allowed to take part in the opening ceremony of the Olympic Winter Games in Beijing, so the DOSB presented the flag bearers at short notice. Now it is certain: record Olympian Claudia Pechstein and bobsleigh dominator Francesco Friedrich will lead the German team.
Record Olympian Claudia Pechstein and bobsleigh dominator Francesco Friedrich lead the German Olympic team as flag bearers at the opening ceremony in Beijing. This was announced by the German Olympic Sports Confederation. The 49-year-old speed skater and 31-year-old Friedrich will lead the German Olympic team to the Vogelnest Stadium in China’s capital on Friday.
It is the first German flag-bearer duo at the Winter Games. Four years ago in Pyeongchang, the Nordic combined athlete Eric Frenzel carried the flag alone. Due to a logistical change in the way the flag bearers were transported to and from the Vogelnest Stadium by the Olympic organizers, Friedrich’s participation was briefly in question. The bobsledders are based in Yanqing, 75 kilometers northwest of downtown Beijing. After weighing up the new situation with a view to his sporting schedule, Friedrich nevertheless decided to take part in the opening ceremony.
“Would be something very special”
The five-time Olympic champion Pechstein was among the candidates for the second time after 2018. “For me it would be more or less the i-point of my career, because it would just be something very special,” said the Berliner before the result was announced. Four years ago in Pyeongchang, her first nomination as flag bearer was controversial, ultimately Frenzel led the German team.
“If you’re allowed to carry the flag, it’s like being knighted among athletes,” said the Saxon Friedrich in advance. “It’s one of the greatest honors to lead the German team into the stadium.” In addition to the double Olympic champion from Pyeongchang 2018, the four-time luge gold medalist Tobias Wendl and the captain of the German national ice hockey team, Moritz Müller, were also up for election as flag bearers. Pechstein prevailed against the four-time Olympic luge champion Natalie Geisenberger and Ramona Hofmeister, Olympic bronze medalist in snowboarding in 2018.
Since the games in Tokyo in the summer of 2021, a woman and a man have been leading the teams together. The International Olympic Committee wants to ensure more gender equality. Since 2016, half of the German flag bearers have been chosen by the athletes of the German team and half by fans with the support of ARD, ZDF, Eurosport and T-Online via internet voting. The election ended on Sunday.