Franca Henseleit is one of the great triathlon talents in Germany.
One of the goals of the season is to take part in the Junior World Championships.
To do this, it has to be convincing at home, of all places.
Steingaden / Nuremberg - Franca Henseleit sounds in a good mood, even if she knows that she will have to suffer right away.
One more swim session awaits the triathlete that day - and this time "it will be very exhausting," she says.
The training for maximum oxygen uptake (technical term: VO2max) is pending.
In the case of Henseleit, this means swimming 3 x 800 meters with a constant change of pace.
Such plagues are part of the daily business for the member of the DTU junior squad.
And Henseleit likes to do it.
Because the 18-year-old wants - like her older brother Simon - to be among the best in Germany in the triathlon.
This year, a special highlight awaits the Steingadenerin: the German Junior Championship is to take place in her home country on July 17th and 18th as part of the Schongau Triathlon.
The competition should have increased in Lechstadt as early as 2020, but had to be postponed due to Corona.
Franca Henseleit is a member of the DTU junior squad
In Lechstadt “I did my first triathlon,” says Franca Henseleit.
But the competition is not only special because of the memories: The junior championship over the sprint distance (750 meters swimming, 20 kilometers cycling, 5 kilometers running) is also about qualifying for the Junior World Championship, which is in this Year in Bermuda (October 15 to 17) should take place.
She would like to be there, especially since it is her last year in the “juniors” age group.
Then the Steingadenerin starts in the U23 class.
As far as the competition is concerned, “it will be even more demanding there”.
In 2019 Franca Henseleit already took part in a Junior World Championship.
In Lausanne she finished 17th, but started the race with a handicap.
Due to a foot injury, she was unable to complete any running training beforehand, so her performance should be rated even higher.
The Steingadenerin was impressed by the atmosphere at the title fights, in which the elite athletes also determined their sprint world champions.
So it's clear that she really wants to be there in Bermuda.
However, since the peak of the season takes place so late in the year, the so-called training control is a particular challenge this year.
The first competition, which also involves qualifying for the Junior European Championship, will take place on May 16 in Forst (Baden-Württemberg).
You can also qualify for the World Cup at the European Championships.
The current “plan is to focus on the second half of the season,” says Henseleit.
The first competition in Forst is "unfortunately unfavorable" not only because of the annual planning, says the Steingadenerin.
During this time, the Abitur exams are on the program.
Henseleit speculates that she will be “in her head more in school”.
Franca Henseleit is graduating from high school this year
The squad athlete, who has attended the elite sports school in Nuremberg since 2016, took the opportunity to extend the upper level to three years.
She will take the exams in English, sports theory, mathematics, history and German.
The 18-year-old has left the boarding school in Nuremberg and lives in a shared apartment with three training colleagues.
In a YouTube video of the “Class of 22” campaign with a view to the European Games 2022 in Munich (we reported), she said with a smile about her roommates: “I still like everyone very well.” Now comes school and training but also managing the household - that's no problem for Henseleit: "I really like it."
In the last first Corona year, the German A-youth champion and European champion in the mixed relay of 2019 (she won the EM gold together with brother Simon) could not contest a triathlon competition.
Also because her foot was causing her problems again.
In February 2020, Henseleit won the title in her class at the Bavarian cross-country championship.
But after that nothing worked.
"The strain on the foot would have been too high for participation in the only Bundesliga race," she says.
Henseleit made a virtue out of necessity, reduced training and was thus able to "heal well" the injury.
In addition, she “moved the focus away from sport” for a long time.
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Also out and about in winter: Franca Henseleit doing a cycling session at the end of February.
The athlete, who is doing her Abitur this year, is currently training up to 18 hours a week.
© Kempmann / private
At the moment, Henseleit sees itself "on the right track" as far as its shape is concerned.
Depending on the exercise program, she trains between ten and 18 hours a week.
You try "not to get into an overload of the foot".
The corona pandemic has only slightly affected the training of the squad athletes.
“We have very good opportunities.
For example, we were allowed to use the swimming pool uninterruptedly. ”The only real negative aspect: Training camps in southern climes - popular destinations are Tuscany and Mallorca - are canceled.
In a training camp, “the focus is completely different,” explains Henseleit.
The athlete concentrates fully on the sport, "that is a real bubble with training, eating, sleeping".
The warmer temperatures in the south make both cycling and running sessions more pleasant, says Henseleit.
During her recent visit to her parents in Steingaden, the triathlete was able to use a nice day for a longer cycling session. Overall, she has greatly reduced the number of trips home due to Corona. “We're trying to isolate ourselves to a large extent with the training group,” said the 18-year-old. The most important trip this year to Schongau - in July - Franca Henseleit wants to be in top shape and corona-free.