This is how the eleventh day in Beijing goes
Four gold chances are waiting for the German team
2/14/2022, 6:46 p.m
All or nothing: With this proviso, the biathlon men go into the relay, their own claim is clear. In the two-man bobsleigh, even a German triple victory is conceivable, and the Nordic Combined are also favorites for gold. And Kira Weidle also sets big goals on the eleventh day of the Olympics.
Biathlon: The relay (7.30 a.m. CET) will be Erik Lesser’s last Olympic race. “I hope that inspires me a bit and doesn’t inhibit me so much,” said the 33-year-old Thuringian. Together with Roman Rees, Benedikt Doll and final runner Philipp Nawrath, he is aiming for precious metal over 4×7.5 kilometers. “The goal is a medal, of course. Either good or great. We’re not among the favorites now, but I’m optimistic that we can do it,” said Rees.
The only concern is the material. In the first races in the freezing cold at Zhangjiakou’s National Biathlon Center, the German skis worked perfectly. “When it was so cold, we were on pole position,” said Rees. Then a change in the weather with higher temperatures and dull fresh snow set the DSV team back compared to the competition. “It’s getting colder again now,” Rees said a little hopefully. Less than minus 15 degrees Celsius is expected on the day of the competition, so the start time was brought forward. Norway, France and Sweden are the favourites.
Bob: The German two-man bob pilots are back on the gold track. Flag bearer Francesco Friedrich and Johannes Lochner (0.15 seconds behind) are fighting a duel for the Olympic victory in the Sliding Center Yanqing after two of four runs. Even a German triple success seems possible: Christoph Hafer in fourth place is only five hundredths of a second away from bronze. Lochner wants to attack in the decisive races three (1.15 p.m. CET) and four (2.50 p.m. CET). “The second run showed that we can keep up. Of course we want to attack and annoy Franz a bit,” he said. In view of the selective track, the World Championships runner-up in the small sled also warned that mistakes could still cost the hoped-for medal. Third is Russia’s Rostislav Gaitjukevich, just 0.94 seconds behind.
Nordic combination: Still without “King” Eric Frenzel, but with an ambitious successor, the German combined athletes want to continue their Olympic gold series. “I know that I can be at the top if I have a good day,” said normal hill winner Vinzenz Geiger before the individual on the large hill. He clearly won the last training round with a dream jump of 142.5 meters, and on the cross-country ski run he’s almost unstoppable anyway. If Geiger succeeds in the German morning (jumping from 9 a.m., 10-kilometer run from 11.30 a.m.) the new coup, he would make history: So far only the Finn Samppa Lajunen managed to win two individual Olympic golds in one year in Salt Lake City in 2002. “
In addition to the 24-year-old, Pyeongchang Olympic champion Johannes Rydzek, Julian Schmid and, for the first time, Manuel Faißt will try to bring Germany the fifth combined gold in a row. Faißt replaces Terence Weber, who is still in isolation and for whom the Olympics are over. After being released from isolation, Eric Frenzel can at least hope to be used in the relay. A race against time, on the other hand, awaits gold candidate Jarl Magnus Riiber, who is about to be released from isolation. The Norwegian missed training, but according to team doctor Aasne Fenne Hoksrud, a short-term start is possible.
Alpine skiing: Kira Weidle wants to get to the top. Second place in the Olympic downhill as in the final training session is not a goal for her. “There was one faster than that,” she said and laughed. One thing is certain: The World Cup runner-up is one of the favorites in the race for the supreme discipline (4 a.m. CET). “Basically, the feeling is right,” she said of her two test drives on the “Rock” slope. In the first she was the best of those who did not miss a goal, in the second time only Joana Hählen was 0.23 seconds faster.
But unlike the Swiss, Weidle straightened up just before the finish. “I wasn’t at 100 percent yet, there’s still time,” she said, “I can also improve my body language a bit.” That will be necessary. Olympic champion Sofia Goggia seems ready despite a serious knee injury. “I felt great and I’m confident,” said the Italian after fourth place in the last test run. “It’s a miracle that she’s even at the start of the diagnosis, that surprised us a lot,” said Weidle about the Speed Queen, about whom she worries a little: “The most important thing is that she finishes healthy and not overpaced again.”
Ski Freestyle: Superstar Eileen Gu is also one of the favorites in slopestyle four days after her Olympic victory in the big air competition when it comes to the medals from 2.30 a.m. CET. The 18-year-old double world champion, who grew up in the USA and competed for China, finished third in qualifying. The only German starter, Aliah Delia Eichinger, fell in the first run and was eliminated in 17th place, just like in the Big Air competition.
snowboards: Annika Morgan has also reached the final in the Big Air competition. Two days after her 20th birthday, she finished eighth in qualifying in Shougang. Morgan had already qualified for the final (2.30 a.m. CET) in slopestyle and finished eighth there. “I had no pressure at all. It wouldn’t have been the end of the world not to make it to the final today,” said Morgan, who reached the finish was happy about digital greetings from her family at home.
Leon Vockensperger and Noah Vicktor, on the other hand, clearly missed out on participating in the final (6 a.m. CET) as they did in slopestyle. Vicktor was 24th, Vockensperger (90.00) was one place behind. Canadian Max Parrot, who rode to an Olympic gold medal in slopestyle three years after being diagnosed with cancer, was top of the Big Air qualifier.
Ice Hockey: Germany’s ice hockey cracks needed three games at the Olympics to warm up and get used to the smaller ice surface – now it’s time. Against Slovakia (5.10 a.m.) the entry into the quarter-finals should be made perfect. “Now we really understand how we have to play on this ice surface,” said captain Moritz Müller before the decider. “It’s only about one game. Nerves and condition have to be there. Then a lot is possible,” said attacker Patrick Hager. Both were part of the team that won silver in Pyeongchang four years ago. Even then, after the preliminary round, a play-off was necessary. In 2018 they won against Switzerland.
speed skating: In the team pursuits for women (9.27 a.m.) and men (9.48 a.m.) there are no German teams at the start. In the women’s competition, Japan and Canada are favorites for the gold medal, while in the men’s event it could be a four-way battle between the Netherlands, the USA, Norway and the athletes of the Russian Olympic Committee.