Enlarge image
Lena Dürr in Schladming
Photo: Giovanni Maria Pizzato / dpa
Ski racer Lena Dürr finally entered the group of contenders for an Olympic medal in the last slalom before the Winter Games.
Less than a month before the competitions in Beijing, the 30-year-old in good form came third in the night slalom in Schladming, equaling the best result of her career in this discipline.
The victory went to Mikaela Shiffrin in front of the Slovak Petra Vlhova, who already has the small crystal ball in the gate.
With her 47th slalom success, the American Shiffrin set a record for most World Cup victories in a discipline.
Afterwards, Dürr and Shiffrin both wept for joy.
The German ski racer because she was on the podium in the same place as her father Peter 34 years ago.
The exceptional American athlete because she set the next record.
Dürr is in the shape of her life before the Olympics
"This is for you, Papa," said Dürr after she had finished on the podium for the third time this season.
Precisely where her father celebrated the greatest success of his career in 1988 when he finished third on the downhill.
The Munich resident had already finished third twice this winter in Levi.
There is also a fifth place in Killington and fourth last weekend in Kranjska Gora.
Dürr is in the shape of her life - and suddenly a medal candidate at the Olympics.
Even if she doesn't think about it yet, as she assured after the famous performance on the Planai.
“It's just so cool that I could do this.
A dream! ”Said Dürr.
Shiffrin, who was fifth after the first round, actually ousted Vlhova, who was leading at halftime, from the front. Vlhova, who has won five of the seven runs so far this winter, was able to console herself with the premature overall victory in the slalom.
The German young talent Emma Aicher was promisingly in tenth place after the first run, but then retired. The 18-year-old had already cracked the national norm for the Olympics before the race, which had been moved from Flachau to Schladming due to the corona. You look with a "good feeling" in the direction of the season highlight from February 4th to 20th in China, said Aicher. This is all the more true for Dürr given their current top form.
ara / dpa
