Triathlete Franca Henseleit has started her studies.
She would like to continue to practice her sport at a high level.
In order for this to work, the 19-year-old left Germany.
Charlotte/Steingaden – Franca Henseleit laconically describes the whole campaign as a “change of scenery”, but in truth it is completely new territory that she is entering. The 19-year-old has been in Charlotte, North Carolina, for a good week. There, the Steingaden native began studying psychology at Queens University. The university there gives her the opportunity to continue doing triathlon at a high-performance level.
Henseleit received a corresponding grant.
Such support for ambitious athletes is the norm in the USA.
The universities and colleges take on the role in sport there that clubs and bases have in Germany.
Several athletes from the district have used this opportunity in the past.
These included athlete Maximilian Weigand (Florida Gulf Coast University) from Penzberg and soccer player Kristina Schuster (North Carolina State University) from Polling.
Move to Nuremberg after five years
The Steingaden resident spent a total of five years at the federal base for triathlon in Nuremberg – first at the boarding school, then in an athletes’ flat share.
"Honestly, I had a great time there," says Henseleit in her blog.
After graduating from high school last year, she thought about how things should continue for her.
The option of staying in Nuremberg wasn't bad, but she was "not 100 percent satisfied with it either".
It was clear that Henseleit would like to continue doing competitive sports alongside studying.
In this country "a somewhat difficult combination, and that's how I came across America," says the triathlete.
In December she completed a training camp in Fuerteventura.
After Christmas with the family and the turn of the year, he left for the USA.
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Sporty siblings: The photo shows Franca Henseleit with her brother Simon, who is one of the German leaders in the short and sprint distances.
© Reyemotion/Instagram
Upon arrival, Henseleit found out that the start at the university had been postponed by a week because of Corona.
That's why "there was hardly anyone here on campus at first, and that was pretty strange at first," she reported.
Since last weekend, "more and more students have been coming back to the campus and it's slowly filling up".
While the courses were initially held online, face-to-face lectures will soon take place again.
Triathlete Franca Henseleit is studying in the USA
The sports program at Queens University of Charlotte includes 15 disciplines for women – from basketball, cheerleading and football to hockey, lacrosse and swimming. The triathlon division has been very successful in recent years. In November last year, the women's team of the "Royals" - as the university is nicknamed - won the Division II title at the "USA Triathlon Collegiate National Championships" for the sixth time in a row. In the USA there is a for colleges Three-division system – the classification is based, among other things, on the size and importance of the respective educational institution. With around 2,300 students, Henseleit's university in Charlotte belongs to the middle category. The jersey colors of the "Royals" are blue and gold, the university mascot is a crowned lion named Rex.
At the championship competition in Arizona, three team members made it into the top eleven.
Germany's Finja Schierl in the Wingate University jersey won the individual classification.
Together with Henseleit, the Darmstadt native was part of the German squad for the 2021 Sprint European Championships in Kitzbühel.
In the junior women's A final, Schierl finished tenth, while Henseleit was 21st.
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The sport remains in focus: Shortly before leaving for the USA, the squad triathlete completed a training camp in Fuerteventura.
© Private
Franca Henseleit is one of four newcomers to the “Royals” triathlon team. Alongside her are New Zealand's Natalya Carter and South Africans Kira Ribbink and Nadya Stolarczyk. The international orientation is part of the philosophy of the triathlon division, according to head coach Sonni Dyer. The entire women's squad includes 23 athletes.
She has already completed the first training sessions with her colleagues. "It's still relatively relaxed here and we're allowed to train a lot freely - in a group, but without a coach." She also took the opportunity to attend an NBA game for the first time - and saw the local heroes win 114:106 at home." Charlotte Hornets on the Milwaukee Bucks. "So, what more could you ask for?" was her tongue-in-cheek comment.
The competitive season for the colleges ramps up in the fall semester.
Targeted training begins in February.
At the moment, according to the 19-year-old, she is still sticking to her coach's plans in Germany.
"I'm definitely very excited to see how it will be from February."