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Olympic sensation possible: Germany's fastest female sprinter now active in winter sports

2021-11-26T11:18:52.493Z


She was already at the Summer Olympics, now she wants to be there in Beijing in winter too. Sprinter Alexandra Burghardt is therefore in the two-man bobsleigh.


She was already at the Summer Olympics, now she wants to be there in Beijing in winter too.

Sprinter Alexandra Burghardt is therefore in the two-man bobsleigh.

Innsbruck - "It's beyond your imagination, Jamaica has a bobsleigh team." This line comes from what is probably the most famous winter sports film in Hollywood history: Cool Runnings.

The history?

Four failed sprinters from Jamaica changed the sport in the eighties.

Instead of a career, ice canal was suddenly the name of the game.

Their goal: The 1988 Winter Olympics in Nagano.

In fact, the now legendary flick is based in part on real events.

Jamaica actually started with a team in the four-man bobsleigh 33 years ago - and thus provided the basis for the later film, which was to gross around 155 million US dollars.

Winter sports sensation?

German sprint ace is now pushing the two-man bobsleigh

Back to the present: There is currently a similar story going on there, which is also very impressive. Right in the middle is the German sprint ace Alexandra Burghardt. The Upper Bavarian took part in the Summer Olympics in Tokyo in the summer. Just a few months later, her goal is again the Olympics - but this time the Winter Games are meant! As the? Burghardt has swapped the sprint outfit for the bob suit and should now cause a sensation with its dynamism in the ice channel. Now she is about to make her World Cup debut as a pusher for Mariama Jamanka in the two-man bobsleigh.

Burghardt was “extremely excited” before her first drive, “because I didn't even know what to expect, neither getting in, nor the drive itself or braking,” said Germany's fastest sprinter before her premiere at the weekend in Innsbruck.

Burghardt is actually at home on the 100 meters.

The 27-year-old ran into the Olympic semifinals in Tokyo and finished fifth in the relay.

Last season, the woman from Burghausen set the best 100-meter time for the German women with 11.01 seconds.

The change from the tartan track to the ice channel was made easy for her according to the circumstances.

Alexandra Burghardt before the premiere in the two-man bobsleigh: Sprinter twice at the Olympics within six months?

“I was very nervous, but Mariama made me feel very good. That's why I felt very safe with her, she explained everything to me very well, "said Burghardt, who had only trained pushing once in Oberhof, after the first training sessions in Innsbruck:" Then I just did it and went downstairs got off with a smile. ”Her experienced and decorated driver was confident despite the short time she had to get used to her new teammate. “Of course, all the trimmings are with runners grinding and so much for someone who comes in completely new, but everyone has to work in bobsleigh,” said Jamanka: “We'll see how it is for you and what we can achieve at the start. "

The manual trappings are new to Burghardt, "but I think it's kind of cool and I'm looking forward to the next few weeks," said Burghardt: "We have now planned four World Cup weeks for the time being and I have a very good feeling so far." After the Summer Games, Burghardt can take part in the Winter Games in Beijing (February 4 to 20, 2022). The fact that athletes, especially sprinters, also compete in bobsleigh is nothing new. A double participation in the Olympics within a few months would, however, be a small sensation. Burghardt says: "To have another chance at the games would be madness." Then came the rethinking in 2021: “Why not?” Asked Burghardt. And further:"I felt like taking on this challenge."

(akl / sid)

Source: merkur

All sports articles on 2021-11-26

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