Preuss missed the start of the biathlon after a painful fall on the stairs

Created: 12/16/2021, 4:20 PM

By: Antonio José Riether

Franziska Preuss has already won ten World Cups.

© Oryk Haist / imago-images

Shortly before the sprint race at the Biathlon World Cup, Germany's biathlon hope Franziska Preuss was banned from starting, the reason being a strange fall before the competition.

Annecy / Le Grand-Bornand - Six DSV athletes were scheduled for the women's sprint race at the Biathlon World Cup in France.

Due to a short-term failure, the German women had to start the competition with five people, Franziska Preuss injured herself shortly before the start.

The team doctor in charge thereupon issued the winter sportswoman a starting ban.

Franziska Preuß: The biathlete's weak World Cup appearances - now a fall will be her undoing

The overall World Cup third of the previous season had disappointed last weekend at the World Cup in Hochfilzen, in the sprint, the Wasserburger only landed on 18th place.

In the pursuit, things went even worse for the 27-year-old, after five shooting errors, she did not get above rank 38.

She is still waiting for her first podium this winter.

In France, the 2015 relay world champion wanted to forget her bumpy start, but nothing will come of her participation.

The reason for this is a serious slip in the truest sense of the word.

Shortly before the sprint race in Le Grand-Bornand, Preuss had slipped on a staircase and twisted his left foot.

Then the team doctor Klaus Marquardt gave her the heavy message that the Upper Bavarian had to forego the start “as a precautionary measure”.

Although an initial ultrasound examination of the affected foot did not show any serious injury, it was "clearly painful," said Marquardt.

In particular, a typical cross-country load is not possible in the shoe.

Franziska Preuß: Not the first fall for a biathlete - not sure of the start on Sunday

It is not the first time that Preuss has suffered an injury in this way.

As early as 2019, she slipped on a staircase in Östersund and was only able to practice the standing position for days due to her elbow pain.

Nevertheless, she sprinted into second place at the next race in Oslo.

It is not yet known how her fall will affect her this time.

Her team doctor, for example, refrained from making a prognosis for the mass start on Sunday, when Preuss could theoretically return to the trail.

In any case, the participation of the experienced biathlete would be an enrichment for the DSV.

In addition to Denise Herrmann and Vanessa Hinz, Preuss is one of the more tried and tested cross-country skiers in the team.

(ajr)