David Zobel has to get by first
Created: 11/29/2022, 11:46 p.m
By: Patrick Hilmes
“Simply epic”: Beaming with joy, David Zobel marches past the athletes in fourth to eighth place and is allowed to climb onto the podium at the World Cup in Kontiolahti.
© IMAGO
He couldn't believe it himself: David Zobel from SC Partenkirchen fought for third place in the individual at the World Cup opener for biathletes in Kontiolahti.
Key to success: a flawless shooting record.
kontiolahti –
David Zobel knows what he has just done, what he has succeeded in doing.
He also knows it will lead to a strong result.
However, he has no idea how strong it is.
The biathlete from SC Partenkirchen has just completed his fourth shooting at the World Cup opener in Kontiolahti (Finland) and hit his targets 16, 17, 18, 19, 20.
No mistakes in the individual, that automatically brings you a place at the top.
"I thought I was on course for the top six," said the man from Murnau afterwards.
Technicians and trainers from the DSV team wanted to enlighten him on the final lap.
The only problem: "I didn't understand a word they said.
I didn't check that I was on course for the podium.” Zobel only understood the words of assistant coach Uros Velepec.
He didn't see how close it was until he crossed the finish line.
“There was a little tableau.
I didn't check that I was on course for the podium.”
David Zobel, SC Partenkirchen
Zobel didn't burst into ecstatic jubilation, but he fell to the ground, unbuckled his skis with the last of his strength and stretched out on all fours in the cold snow of Kontiolahti.
"I had to get my life together first," he says with a laugh.
Catch a breath, then scramble to his feet again and jubilantly stretched his skis into the air.
He just got his first World Cup podium - apart from his third place in the relay last season.
"Just epic," he commented happily.
Roman Rees, who finished fourth, begrudges his teammate
Zobel then went to see his teammate Roman Rees and apologized to him.
Because he pushed him from third place, he was 1.6 seconds faster.
"I totally begrudge him, but it's a bit bitter when your own teammate pushes you off the podium," said Rees.
He couldn't quite realize that Zobel had succeeded.
"I'm still not sure what happened there.
I think I need until tomorrow for that.” No wonder, since the SCP athlete started as an absolute outsider.
Only in the second race of the internal team qualification did he manage to secure his starting place for Kontiolahti at all.
The key to success was the same as it is now in the World Cup: clean shooting.
"That was the second time in my life that I shot four clean sheets."
Zobel overcomes fear in the final shooting
It was also helpful at the start that Zobel was able to hang on to Rees right after the start.
"It worked great, we pushed each other." He concentrated on running and didn't even think about shooting until the final standing stage.
"After the third shot, it dawned on me that this could be pretty good." That's when the fear set in, the prospect of a great achievement that would then make the athletes cramp up, which could lead to failure.
Not Zobel, not that day.
"I just thought to myself: You can be a little scared." And so the discs 19 and 20 changed from black to white.
His overall slow shooting time - "was not the yellow of the egg" - was not important.
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Now Zobel and Co. have a day off, on Wednesday the women are challenged in singles.
The men continue on Thursday with the relay.
With sable?
"I do not know yet.
But I think third place is not a bad argument for a starting place.”
