"I was blue without end": But Zeidler sticks to his criticism

Created: 08/16/2022, 14:12

By: Gunter Klein

Home debacle: Oliver Zeidler collapsed.

dpa/Angelika Warmuth © Angelika Warmuth

In the classic rowing classes, things are not really going well for the Germans.

It was particularly bitter for Oliver Zeidler.

Oberschleißheim – Germany has also won a few European Championship medals.

But stop in the rowing classes, which just follow along and are not Olympic like the mixed fours.

But in the "right classes" there was only one bronze - by Alexandra Föster in the women's singles.

The 20-year-old only realized after crossing the bubbling finish line that she had finished third.

She trumped in the last 250 meters of the 2000 meter course - the section where Oliver Zeidler lost his race after her.

He had just taken the lead, but then: what had been an ideal competition ended in disaster.

"The wind ate up too much energy, I was so blue from end to end." His arms couldn't take it anymore, Zeidler drove a 32 stroke rate, the competitors with 40 values ​​flew past him.

The eighth, called the flagship, had only finished fourth the day before.

But he is in the post-Olympic year, has been reassigned, is young and inexperienced.

Zeidler, on the other hand, is the face of German rowing.

The ex-swimmer, who later discovered the sport of his grandfather Hans-Johann Färber (Olympic gold 1972 in the foursome) and who became world class as a switcher, not only delivers well marketable family stories, but also robust sports-political quotes.

Only: It has to be measured by its volume.

Mario Woldt, the sports director, and Brigitte Bielig, the national coach, are the targets of Zeidler's criticism.

"I told the truth," he said, even after his fourth place, that he doesn't regret his words.

He deepened his announcement: "The two managers" had "no idea what's going on at our bases".

Communication is currently not taking place.

The EM showed how far apart the parties are.

Zeidler said: "I'm not doing well physically at the moment, I'm dizzy, I have a headache."

I think it was a matter of the mind.” A lack of experience, which explained Zeidler's Olympic failure in the semifinals a year ago, ruled them out: “Meanwhile he has enough international races.

At 20, Alexandra Föster feels too young "and not deep enough to criticize structures, but it's obvious that something is going wrong".

She suspects the usual change of generations at the beginning of an Olympic cycle to be essential for the collapse of German rowing on a broad front: "There are now many young people - due to the fact that the older ones have stopped." Brigitte Bielig says that the rowers were "allowed that they catch up on their studies this year".

But this regulation expires in 2023, actually “from October 2022, the study obligations have to take a back seat”.

The motto: "Train, train, train."

The World Championships in Lucerne, the true highlight of the season, are only a month away.

Oliver Zeidler knows what he has to work on: "That I can get through the last 200 meters." Only those who are better than the others can admonish.

GUNTER SMALL