It almost read like a bad joke, but it was pure seriousness: The biathlete Franziska Preuß “experienced slight signs of infection during the night, which unfortunately have to be responded to in order to prevent a further increase in the symptoms as much as possible,” it said on Sunday morning in a statement from the German team doctor Jan Wüstenfeld. That’s why “she won’t take part in today’s season”.
Such news would not have come as a surprise in previous biathlon winters. Unfortunately, the 30-year-old Preuß always had the habit of aiming at pathogens just as accurately as the targets at the shooting range. Her supporters must have been all the more pleased to hear what they learned from Preuß before she left for the start of the World Cup in Finland: an operation on her nasal sinuses in March, according to Preuß, should make her more stable in health in the future. She was “glad that they found something that explains why I was so vulnerable,” said Preuss. “I hope that the medical theory is correct and things will get better now.”
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After Benedikt Doll’s resignation, the German men’s biathlon team is starting a season with question marks. In addition to the regenerated Franziska Preuß, four very young talents give hope to the women.
Preuss’ decision not to take part in the women’s biathlon relay early on Sunday evening may also have been a precautionary measure. From Tuesday onwards the individual races will be run in Kontiolahti, sprint, individual and mass start, so they don’t want to compete at the German Ski Association without their top athlete. Although the first biathlon weekend left some indications that one teammate in particular was in good early form.
Nine spare rounds each and one penalty loop: mixed and men’s relays have similar problems with precision
Oberhofer Vanessa Voigt immediately gave the German biathlon fans their first podium place in the single mixed relay on Saturday. Justus Strelow from Dippoldiswalde was the final runner who brought the duo across the finish line in third place. In the duel for second place, he was a few centimeters behind in the photo finish against Frenchman Quentin Fillon Maillet. “I tried to open a gap at the hairpin, but then I ran out of strength on the home straight,” said Strelow on ZDF. But joy obviously prevailed, for example with Vanessa Voigt (who replaced Preuß in the women’s relay early on Sunday evening). “That gives you a good feeling,” said Voigt. “We can be very satisfied.”
What followed will be classified in the mixed category at the DSV. Franziska Preuß’ season debut in the quartet with Johanna Puff, Danilo Riethmüller and Philipp Horn ended in fourth place for the German mixed relay team. One penalty and nine spare rounds meant that in the end they were two and a half minutes behind winners Norway. And as if a template had been placed over the race, the men’s relay continued in the same way on Sunday: David Zobel, Johannes Kühn, Philipp Nawrath and Philipp Horn crossed the finish line in fourth place with exactly the same results at the shooting range, a good two minutes behind winner France. For the first time after ten podium finishes in a row, the German men’s relay did not end up on the podium. But it looked like everyone was healthy at the finish.
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