The next German biathlete can tick off her participation in the Olympics.
After Maren Hammerschmidt, Franziska Hildebrand also announces: "The dream is over".
Munich – It is particularly bitter for her: Franziska Hildebrand cannot take part in the Olympic Games. This was preceded by a serious mistake that neither she nor the DSV was aware of. All winter sports enthusiasts train all year round for the big highlight in Beijing. From February 4th to 20th, the athletes will gather in the Chinese metropolis to win gold. In advance, however, there is a standard that needs to be met, which, however, comes too late for Hildebrand. But she didn't know that until then. Neither does the association, which was overruled by the DOSB.
"The dream is over," the biathlete begins her statement and adds a red cross.
Unfortunately, her plan to get the decisive placings for the Olympic norm in Antholz, Italy, didn't work out.
She writes: "Unfortunately, I wrongly assumed that the upcoming races in Antholz also count towards a possible nomination." Bitter for Hildebrand, who, like her colleague Maren Hammerschmidt, can buckle the Olympic Games*.
Olympia 2022: Franziska Hildebrand's "Dream of Olympia" is over
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Particularly tragic for Hildebrand: The biathlete has found her way better and better in recent weeks.
"The disappointment is all the greater that I couldn't qualify for Beijing despite my improving form.
I wish the German team all the best for the Olympics and I'll keep my fingers crossed," she writes and thanks for the numerous nice messages.
Nevertheless, she is focusing on the upcoming competitions in Antholz.
Olympia 2022: The DSV was overruled by the DOSB and finds it "regrettable"
Hildebrand did not make it into the top 15 in an individual discipline. She was 17th in Ruhpolding in the sprint. Even the DSV wanted Hildebrand to be there, but was overruled by the DOSB, as Bernd Eisenbichler (Sports Director Biathlon) tells the ARD sports show: “We tried to include the individual on Friday and still apply for the Olympic qualification leave. This was not granted to us by the DOSB. We did a thorough analysis, described Franziska Hildebrand's upward trend and wanted to give both of them another chance on Friday to see who we could take with us to Beijing. Unfortunately, that was not granted to us.”
Now Hildebrand is staying at home and Anna Weidel is the fifth German to go to Beijing.
The planned showdown between the in-form Hildebrand and Weidel in Antholz is only a sideshow.
The two biathletes are said to have a good relationship, Weidel recently photographed Hildebrand for her Instagram account, while she was playing Nintendo with a smile.
(ank)
*tz.de and Merkur.de report extensively on the Olympic Games (here in the schedule) from February 4th to 20th
