Friedrich's 500-meter victory is a luxury problem for the national coach

Lea Sophie Friedrich, only 20 years old, is crowned the youngest 500-meter world champion. At the Olympics, the national coach gets a luxury problem. In addition to Friedrich, Emma Hinze and Pauline Grabosch are also fighting for two starting places.

Berlin (AP) - Lea Sophie Friedrich was not even distracted by Foreign Minister Heiko Maas.

"I knew it was a politician. But you have to hide that, you can't let yourself go crazy and start a small talk. You have to concentrate on the competition," said the 20-year-old about the match just before her Triumph over the 500-meter distance at the World Track Cycling Championships in Berlin.

Friedrich has achieved historical things, at 20 years and 53 days she is the youngest world champion over this distance. Even record world champion Anna Meares was a few months older in her first 500-meter success in 2004. For the Mecklenburg woman, it was already the second World Cup title in Berlin after she was used in the qualification for the golden start in the team sprint.

"I can not describe it. Great, another gold. It is so incredible. I am so proud that we were able to rock it," said Friedrich, referring to her outstanding team colleague Emma Hinze. So predecessor Kristina Vogel is looking forward to the next few years when Friedrich and Hinze duel. "It will be exciting," said the two-time Olympic champion.

Vogel, who has been paraplegic since her bad training accident in 2018, has been keeping a great deal of interest in Friedrich. "She did the training with the federal police this winter. I know from my own experience that this is very stressful for the nerves and the performance. For the whole, the training is extremely important, for the World Cup it was a hindrance," said the former Sprint Queen and added: "When I was finished, a kind of bomb burst with me. That will also happen with Lea."

And then there's Pauline Grabosch, who shone in the team sprint and finished fourth over 500 meters. So national coach Detlef Uibel gets a luxury problem for Olympia. "The national coach has a difficult decision to make with the three of us. Only two can start. But I think I have a good chance," said Friedrich.

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