OLYMPICS, NORDIC COMBINED. There are moments in Sport that are inexplicable and that's how it should be. The millenium jump of Bob Beamon at the Olympic Games 1968 in Mexico City for example, or the 3:2 victory of the Italian underdogs against the Brazilian favorites at the World Championships 1982 in Spain. In a world that's ruling out more and more coincidences and wans to regulate the luck there shouldn't be moments like this. An Austrian nordic combined athlete is attacking the North-American host just before entering the stadium and celebrates and easy victory. Gold in the nordic combined Olympic team competition for Austria, ahead of the USA and Germany.

Not to be misunderstood: Austria is a worthy Olympic champion. Defending champion from 2006 with Felix Gottwald and Mario Stecher on their team. But before the competitions it looked more like it'll be a victory for the USA, or Germany, or Norway.

And then the Austrian won the team competition under increasing snowfall in various stages. With a very good jumping competition in which they finished third, 36 seconds behind the leading Finns. And with great performances in the race. Bernhard Gruber could not only keep up with Jan Schmid when he attacked, but even broke away of the Norwegian and closed the gap to the leading duo Janne Ryynaenen/Brett Camerota. "I was struggeling with my shape in cross country the whole winter, but last week I noticed that it's getting better", he told later. With 11:49.0 minutes, David Kreiner was the fastest on the 5 km and Felix Gottwald started 0.4 seconds behind the USA. Gottwald (12:04.3) was fighting against Johnny Spillane and broke away - before the last skier Austria ws 14.1 seconds ahead of the Americans.

Like so often, Mario Stecher then made no mistakes on the last 5 000 m. He ran his race, Bill Demong closed the gap and took the lead. Stecher was slipstreaming and preparing for the final: In the last turn he took the longer way and right after entering the stadium he started sprinting knowing there was a 50:50 chance to win.  On the home stretch Demong was already beaten. Stecher even had time to celebrate with the spectators. "I knew I had to break away from Mario to win Gold for us. But this is our second medal at the Games - that's sensational!", told Demong. Todd Lodwick said: "We worked four years for this day and we achieved what we wanted, a place on the podium. After the jumping even the victory was within reach..."

In front of about 4500 spectators Germany won Bronze - after seven second places at major events since 2001: A success for the young team with an average age of 22.2 years (Edelmann 24, Frenzel 21, Kircheisen 26, Rydzek 18). Tino Edelmann was inconsolable after having a bad jump and then falling on the track. "My ski pole was between my skis and I lost the balance. That didn't happen to me since five or six years... Thank God we still won a medal."

The road to the podium was long and hard. After finishing sixth in jumping, the cross country race was a pure hunt. Johannes Rydzek moved to the team up to fifth. Eric Frenzel was third and when Bjoern Kircheisen started the positions seemed clear. Austria 25 seconds ahead, France 20.5 seconds behind as fourth. "It was not easy for us today", said Kircheisen. "But it was a great fight by the whole team", Frenzel added.

Like already at the World Championships 2009 in Liberec, France finished fourth ahead of Norway, who already lost their chances to win a medal as seventh after the jumping. World Champion Japan was sixth. Finland, in the lead after the jumping, were only seventh, 2:21.5 minutes behind the winners. "We had a lot of expectations before the race, all of us were motivated", said Hannu Manninen. "I just think that many small things went wrong and influenced our result. We cannot be too sad now, there's still one competition ahead of us."

Gottwald better than legend Sailer

With his third Gold at Olympic Winter Games, Felix Gottwald is now the most successful Austrian athlete at this event. So far he won 3 Gold, 1, Silver and 3 Bronze medals. Toni Sailer (alpine skiing) won three Gold medals in Cortina 1956, Thomas Morgenstern (skijumping) also has three Gold medals so far (2006/2, 2010).

FISnordiccombined.com
24.02.2010 02:04