Olympic champions Tobias Wendl and Tobias Arlt on Königssee: "Otherwise the Olympic champion in tobogganing is missing"

Created: 02/17/2022, 08:55

By: Nico-Marius Schmitz

The German lugers Tobias Wendl and Tobias Arlt return home from Olympia with two gold medals in their luggage.

This is how the duo feels.

Berchtesgaden - Even after the Olympic Games, the gold duo cannot be separated.

"Wendl/Arlt" answered the phone while driving to Berchtesgaden.

Finally back home.

Where: Tobias Wendl (34 / RC Berchtesgaden) still has to buy flowers, with Tobias Arlt (34 / WSV Königssee) the reunion with loved ones is still delayed - there are positive cases in the family.

With the two gold medals in Beijing, the two lugers, together with Natalie Geisenberger, have risen to become the record Olympic champions at the Winter Games.

The interview about Thomas Bach, euphoria and the destroyed railway at Königssee.

How did the reception in Munich feel?

Wendl: It was an overwhelming feeling to touch German soil.

That we did it all: without infection, without quarantine.

That was incredibly liberating.

Of course, we also had a 30-hour journey behind us, so you're usually really exhausted.

But the joy clearly outweighed it.

You traveled to China with “only” one World Cup win from the season.

And then clear everything in Beijing.

How can this be explained?

Wendl: Maybe the Olympic Games are simply our competitions.

We got along well in Beijing from the start, that gave us confidence.

At the beginning of the season we still had a lot of problems with the material and the set-up, but that has gotten better and better.

In Beijing we put our best performance on the ice and did our thing.

Record Olympians.

How does that sound to you?

Wendl: That makes us incredibly proud.

Actually, we don't look at statistics, only at ourselves.

But the fact that we are now among the most successful German winter athletes at the Olympics is super awesome.

Olympic champions Wendl and Arlt: "Positively surprised" by Beijing

Especially since your experiences in the tests last year in Beijing were negative.

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Wendl: We really fought there.

After Tobias' supposedly positive test, we were hardly able to drive.

We left with a strange feeling.

But then we phoned the IOC and, for example, had pictures of the accommodations sent to us in case you had to go into quarantine.

So that you are no longer accommodated in such an inhumane way as was the case with us last year.

But we were really positively surprised by the week in Beijing, it was well organised.

How much are you looking forward to seeing your family after your time in China?

Wendl: It's absolutely gigantic to come home now.

While I didn't ban my wife over the winter, I did recommend that she not meet anyone to prevent a positive test.

All the hardships we put in have paid off.

It's such a relief.

Now it's time to buy flowers, I can't just come home with the gold medals (laughs).

Arlt: Unfortunately, there are positive cases in my family, so I took a hotel room for the next few days.

It's bitter and hard after being apart for so long.

But we still have a few appointments to take care of in the next few days, after which I'm all the more looking forward to seeing my family again.

You probably don't really need to see Thomas Bach again?

Arlt: It was just a funny performance.

He was only there for the photo and hey presto, he was gone again.

We were surprised that after our negative experiences last year in Beijing he didn't start any small talk or ask.

Olympic champions Wendl and Arlt want the track at Königssee to be rebuilt

Finally, a sad topic: the destroyed artificial ice rink at Königssee.

There are discussions about a reconstruction.

Wendl: The railway is essential for us.

And for the youngsters too, it's a great talent factory.

The location is so important for the region, a crowd puller.

It is very important to us that the railway is rebuilt.

The most beautiful toboggan run in the world, we want to do at least one more race there.

Something has built up at Königssee over decades, it would be brutal if that was completely eliminated.

Otherwise, in eight years, the Olympic champion in tobogganing will be missing.

Arlt: We will inform ourselves and ask where you can help and lend a hand.

We have many contacts that we will also use.

I can only reiterate that location is brutally important.

The interview was conducted by Nico-Marius Schmitz.