- A Confirmed COVID-19 Diagnosis Delays the Captain at the World Cup
Champion Canoe Paddler Conrad Scheibner, Multiple World Title Holder, Had to Withdraw from World Championships in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. The 28-year-old Berlin native, who served as a backup athlete in the Paris Olympics, had his Olympic dream dashed by a positive COVID-19 test. "I've been battling sickness symptoms like nausea, headaches, and body aches for the past few days. I received confirmation today," Scheibner, a C-1 expert from SC Berlin-Gruenau, announced on Instagram.
In the 1000-meter Olympic race, Scheibner came second in a tight contest against three-time Olympic gold medalist Sebastian Brendel for a ticket to Paris. He aimed to challenge the Paris medalists on the non-Olympic 500-meter distance at the WM.
Disappointed by his early exit from the World Championships, Scheibner said, "I'm struggling to find the right words to describe my emotions right now."
After Sebastian Brendel's expected retirement, Scheibner is seen as a potential future star in C-1. In 2021, he bagged gold in both distances at the World Championships and secured silver in the 500-meter event at the 2023 World Championships in Duisburg. He secured a direct spot in the semis with a second-place finish behind Martin Fuksa, the Paris Olympic champion from Czech Republic, in the heats, which he won convincingly on Friday. Unfortunately, he couldn't participate in the final.
So far, the German Canoe Association (DKV) has only managed one podium finish at the World Championships with its limited team, thanks to the bronze medal victory in the kayak double by the Potsdam duo Felix Frank and Martin Hiller.
Despite the setback due to his COVID-19 diagnosis, Scheibner prioritizes health and safety, choosing to isolate and recover rather than risking others at the World Championships. Following his withdrawal, the German Canoe Association emphasizes the importance of strict health protocols for future events to protect all athletes.
