Oliver Zeidler easily qualifies for the semifinals

Created: 09/22/2022, 09:50 am

By: Dieter Priglmeir

On the way to the semifinals: Oliver Zeidler finished the quarterfinals in Racice in second place.

© IMAGO/Ondrej Hajek

Only the European champion Melvin Twellaar was faster than the defending champion from Schwaig.

Schwaig/Racice – In the end, Oliver Zeidler was two boat lengths behind the Dutchman Melvin Twellaar.

Nevertheless, he was "very satisfied with the race," he told the local newspaper.

"I qualified for the semi-finals with relatively little effort." It's the World Rowing Championships in Racice, Czech Republic, and Schwaiger still has every chance of defending his 2019 title.

But it is also clear to him: "I'm no longer the top favorite like I was at the European Championships."

The sting of missing out on an EM medal on his home track in Oberschleißheim is still deep, explains Zeidler.

"But I now have the opportunity to do better." That's why he doesn't think he's under pressure now, but sees it as an opportunity.

The 26-year-old completed the second mandatory task after his victory in the preliminary heat yesterday in the quarter-finals.

He takes the defeat against the European champions calmly.

Zeidler was still in the lead halfway through, but then Twellaar stepped up and passed Zeidler at the 1500 meter mark, who didn't even try to counter.

Rather, the world champion let it coast down.

“In the quarter-finals you have to decide whether to conserve energy or go all-in.

I decided against the latter today,” said Zeidler after the race.

"There's no shame in losing to Melvin.

For me he is the clear favorite for the title," he is quoted as saying on the website of the German Rowing Association (DRV).

His father and trainer, Heino Zeidler, also saw “more light than shadow” in the quarter-finals on Wednesday.

Of course we would have liked to have won the race, but this Dutchman has been in a flow since the European Championships and is the measure of all things.

He drove more calmly than Olli and still overtook him.

He's the favourite.”

Oliver Zeidler is confident about the semi-finals (Friday, 11.26 a.m.).

He thinks he got a better run from the occupation than the Dutchman.

But he also warns: “Everyone is hot.

I have to deliver properly and drive at full speed.” In addition to Twellaar and Zeidler, Olympic champion Stefanos Ntouskous from Greece and Kjetil Borch from Norway should also be fighting for the medals, which will be awarded on Sunday at 2.40 p.m.

This time he wants to be on the podium, says the student, who also has the confidence to beat Twellaar.

The tactics will change compared to the EM if only because we don't expect this headwind here.

That's why you have to drive the races differently, and that's what we practiced.” Now the hard training must pay off.

Zeidler doesn't think he's under any particular pressure because of his criticism of the German Rowing Association.

“I had a conversation with those responsible and my points were specified.

It's been quiet since then and I'm concentrating fully on the competitions."

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The atmosphere in the team depends on success.

"We're a very small team here." For example, the fact that the double sculls did not drop out of the quarter-finals due to personal differences was just as quickly a major setback as, on the other hand, the good results of all boats on Wednesday would lift the spirits again.

And Oliver Zeidler wouldn't mind turning the mood barometer to "particularly cheerful" on Sunday.