Carolin Langenhorst was one of the German snowboard starters at the Olympics in spring 2018 - two years later, the whole world of sports was suddenly on hold.
Corona, lockdown, overwhelmed health authorities.
Instead of waiting idly at home, the slalom specialist from Bischofswiesen got involved - and helped in the Bad Reichenhall health department.
The 24-year-old has now been awarded the Bavarian Sports Prize for this voluntary work.
She wanted to do something for society.
She had a lot of concerned people on the phone during the initial lockdown.
Because of the quarantine at home, she could not be personally present at the ceremony in the BMW World
Bischofswiesen - Whether the Snowboard World Cup can start in December is in the stars, but Carolin Langenhorst, 24, has already won a prize before the first planned race - the Bavarian Sports Prize.
The slalom specialist from Bischofswiesen received it because she helped out during the first corona lockdown in the Bad Reichenhall health department - on a voluntary basis.
We spoke to the young athlete who, like all members of the federal squad, is in quarantine after a Covid 19 case in the German racing team.
What are you most proud of, Carolin: your bronze medal at the Junior World Championships 2016, second place at the World Cup in Rogla 2017 - or the Bavarian Sports Prize 2020?
Difficult to say because the prices are so different.
I received the medals for my achievements in snowboarding, the sports award for my commitment to the health department.
They are all exceptional awards that mean a lot to me.
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Aspiring athlete, currently slowed down: Carolin Langenhorst.
© imago
How did it come about that you helped out free of charge at the Bad Reichenhall health department during the first Corona wave?
My father is the medical officer there and there was a lot to do.
The normal staff was overwhelmed with the flood of inquiries.
So he asked me if I could imagine taking over the phone service.
Is it that easy?
Of course, I was first trained.
For one day I watched an employee manage everything, how she answered the phone.
After that, I got straight in and drove into office every day.
My father and brother were there too.
We had to telephone contact persons every day and clarify whether a quarantine was necessary or not.
You yourself had an unusually large amount of time back then.
.
.
Exactly, the World Cup season ended three races earlier, more than a few home workouts were not possible, so it was a good change.
Instead of sitting around at home, I did something for the head - and for society.
Instead of sitting around at home, I did something for the head - and for society.
Carolin Langenhorst
Telephone advice sounds like a job that requires empathy.
Yes, that's the way it is.
Surprisingly, there were a lot of positive reactions.
These were people who realized that they now have to be quarantined for two weeks.
But I also had people on the phone who were upset.
Or older people, where the partner was already in the hospital and it didn't look so good.
With a little knowledge of human nature, you can hear it in your voice, of course you have to be more careful with people like that.
Have you ever been involved in a voluntary or charitable area?
I used to take care of the disabled daughter of a friend.
And I've always been very socially minded, I used to do something in the gymnastics club on the side.
I also want to go to the teaching profession later.
I think working with people suits me well.
How much time did your part-time job in the health department take up?
In the beginning it was really a lot of work, ten or eleven hours a day came together - plus the weekends.
It started in mid-March, shortly before the lockdown, when people still had a lot of contacts.
And it lasted until the beginning of May, when I then had a Bundeswehr course.
Back then, in March / April, the uncertainty was probably even greater than it is now.
In any case.
Even the experts didn't know what to expect at the time.
Everyone thought: It's been two months now, then we'll have it under control.
Nobody had thought that it would expand so immensely.
It is not far from Bischofswiesen to Bad Reichenhall.
Has it ever happened that you knew callers personally?
The county is bigger than you think, but there were still quite a few people I knew.
I also knew a lot of names on the lists, but you have to treat them with confidentiality - like the doctors do.
This was taken care of during the introduction.
Were there any dramatic cases?
Fortunately, that was kept within reasonable limits, toi, toi, toi.
We had eight deaths in total.
And what was your strangest phone call?
I once received an e-mail that looked like a wanted profile.
The reason was that a man behaved suspiciously and sweated a lot in the supermarket.
The wanted poster said how the man looked and what he was wearing.
But we didn't follow it closely - the evidence wasn't quite enough (laughs).
Back to the Bavarian Sports Prize.
How does such an honor work when you're in quarantine like you?
The whole thing took place in Munich in the BMW World - with strict hygiene measures.
Each award winner was only allowed to take one accompanying person with them.
Unfortunately, I couldn't be there personally and only sent a video message.
How is your teammate Selina Jörg, who tested positive and triggered the quarantine at home.
Quite well.
For the first few days she had a sore throat and aching limbs, but now she is much better.
Athletes have a natural urge to move.
How should you imagine a quarantine at home?
I am at my parents' house for 14 days.
Fortunately, they are on vacation, so I cannot infect them if I still test positive.
A typical day looks like this for me: breakfast, then on the spinning bike, workouts with your own body weight, then cooking at lunchtime, learning for studies (educational science / ed.), A little stretching - and whatever else to do in the house is.
I wanted to change the days of winter tires - which is what you can do.
The Corona issue has considerable potential for divisions.
Some worry very much, others not at all, others deny it.
Where are you in the whole debate?
Right in the middle, I think.
You shouldn't drive yourself crazy or lock yourself up at home for fear.
On the other hand, the virus should not be taken lightly.
Corona can have serious consequences, not just for the elderly.
Research shows that 30 to 55 year olds can also feel serious consequences after they have long recovered.
Do you expect World Cups to take place this winter?
If so, in which form?
It's too early to say anything.
At the beginning of the preparation I was very positive, gave everything and was absolutely convinced that we could start.
Bit by bit, doubts arose.
World Cups only in Europe, I thought in between.
Now with the breakout in the team, my hope is fading more and more.
The numbers are increasing in all countries - I don't know if you can run races there and keep the virus away from everyone.
It worked well at the Ski World Cup, but it can also go stupid.
And in the long term: when do you think a normal life will be possible again?
Hopefully this will be possible again at some point.
For the summer athletes, I would very much like to see the Olympics take place in summer 2021.
Now it's lockdown again.
Has the health department knocked on your door again?
It's not that easy from quarantine.
But my father asks every day whether the season has finally been canceled so that I can get back on track (smiles).
Interview: Uli Kellner
