Medal winners at major events usually appear completely happy.
Wörth / Ritten - Not so Felix Karpfinger.
The 16-year-old Wörther won silver with the team at the U19 long-range European championships in Ritten (South Tyrol), only to go away empty-handed after an inexplicable performance drop in the individual competition.
"In the end, I'm a bit disappointed because of that," he confesses.
“For me, it's primarily about gaining experience,” Karpfinger announced before the European Championship.
“I'm one of the youngest.” The previous year he had shot in the U16, where he had become the European team champion.
Because experience shows that the German team is one of the favorites, the 16-year-old Wörther had secretly aimed for a medal in his first U19 year, but admitted: The excitement is already great. "
The team competition on the first day of the competition started anything but ideal for Karpfinger.
The first of five attempts slipped off course early.
The second landed at an indisputable 70.41 meters, before the third failed again completely and was invalidated by the Wörth athlete.
In the fourth round, however, everything fitted together for Karpfinger, and his stick ran to a great 114.28 meters.
One of the best distances the 16-year-old has ever achieved in a competition and which surprised him himself.
“At first I was a bit disappointed because I had three invalid attempts in my competition.
But the one, the fourth - I don't really know where it came from - I got by, ”he says enthusiastically.
"And I was so happy that I could help the team to secure second place with my width." The top performance of the Wörther stick shooter, who starts for SC Oberhummel, was also urgently needed.
Because the other German actors weakened and were ultimately clearly behind his size.
In particular, U19 veteran Bastian Simon (SV Hagenhill) remained far below his possibilities.
He had five valid attempts, but the furthest was just over 97 meters, which was not even enough for him to qualify for the individual final the next day.
In the end, Germany took the silver medal with 315.40 meters, behind Austria (349.33 m) and ahead of Italy (306.11 m).
The six best shooters in the team competition had qualified for the final, two Austrians, two Italians and two Germans - in addition to Karpfinger, Stefan Schmid from TSV Unterviehbach, both of whom came away empty-handed.
Schmid finished fourth, the competition completely missed Karpfinger.
From the athlete's point of view, the insecurities when putting the stick straight down were glaring.
“The final was very weak from me,” the 16-year-old shows himself self-critically.
“The stick was constantly shaking and I just couldn't get it onto the ice.” With every failed attempt, the dissatisfaction at Wörther increased.
In the end, he did not achieve a single valid rating and came in sixth.
A big disappointment for Karpfinger.
“With the exception of the one attempt on Friday, little came together for me.
I can't explain to myself why I was so bad this weekend.
But my, there are days like that too.
There is only one thing to do: tick off, take the experience with you and do better next year. "
Despite the individual frustration, Felix Karpfinger was ultimately happy about the silver medal in the U19 team competition.
An important finding is that he can also shoot in the older age group.
In the next few months he will have to work intensively on the automation of a round, fluid sequence of movements, says the newly crowned vice European champion.
Until regular training at SC Oberhummel or even national competitions take place, he and his father Robert will work as an exercise bike in the parking lots in the Erdinger area and work on the subtleties.
Felix Karpfinger is certain: "I'll be able to do this by next year so that I can get down to the very front."
Josef Fuchs
Wolfgang Krzizok