The most successful German Winter Olympian of all time

Created: 2022-02-10Updated: 2022-02-10 15:53

By: Sebastian Schuch

Celebrating when the two-seater crosses the finish line: Natalie Geisenberger and Johannes Ludwig.

© JOE KLAMAR/AFP

After her triumph in the single-seater, luger Natalie Geisenberger from Miesbach also wins the gold medal in the team relay and is the most successful German Winter Olympian of all time.

Miesbach – She doesn't care about the record at the moment, "maybe someday" will be important.

And yet, since Thursday, luger Natalie Geisenberger from Miesbach has been the most successful German Winter Olympian of all time.

Together with Johannes Ludwig, Tobias Wendl and Tobias Artl, the 34-year-old won her sixth Olympic gold medal in the team relay - more than any other German athlete.

With almost parallel careers, the woman from Miesbach is one bronze medal more successful than the doubles duo Wendl/Arlt.

Both Geisenberger and Wendl/Arlt celebrated Olympic victory in their respective special disciplines as well as together in the team relay in 2014 in Sochi, 2018 in Pyeongchang and now in the Sliding Center Yanqing, almost 60 kilometers from Beijing.

Geisenberger also has bronze from her Olympic debut in Vancouver in 2010.

And the Olympic winter was similar: Neither Geisenberger nor Wendl/Arlt played the formative role of previous years, but they were there just in time for the high point of the season.

In the team relay, the German quartet entered the ice channel as the top favourite.

After all, only current Olympic champions started.

The woman from Miesbach laid the foundation for the historic triumph.

Although she had to admit defeat by 0.036 seconds in a direct duel with the Austrian Madeleine Egle, this narrow gap gave Ludwig, who in turn lost 0.065 seconds, and Wendl/Arlt the opportunity to beat the Austrians' time.

And the doubles led the Germans to their third title in the third Olympic mixed relay competition by a margin of 0.080 seconds.

Always there: Natalie Geisenberger, now the most successful German Winter Olympian of all time.

Despite her successes, Geisenberger does not forget her supporters.

First and foremost the family, without whose - and especially son Leos - Okay she might have ended her career already.

But also her German teammate Felix Loch.

"What you have shown over the past few days is worth more than a medal," she wrote to Loch on Instagram.

His genuine joy, support and dedication after finishing fourth himself in the singles, or his help with material issues are worth their weight in gold.