Biathlete Preuß misses victory by just 0.1 seconds
After another difficult season and thoughts of retiring, Franziska Preuß celebrated a brilliant comeback in the Biathlon World Cup, missing out on victory in the first individual race of the season by just 0.1 seconds.
The 29-year-old remained clear over the 15 kilometers in frosty Östersund and was only beaten by Italy's Lisa Vittozzi by the smallest possible margin. Preuß had to abandon the pre-season in January and was therefore also missing the home World Championships in Oberhof.
Voigt in third place
The outstanding German team result was completed by Vanessa Voigt in third and Sophia Schneider in fifth. Voigt also had no faults and was 10.1 seconds behind the winner. Like her two teammates, Voigt (1 fault/+ 1:01.0 minutes) achieved the World Championship standard in the very first race.
Preuß, who only joined the World Cup team as a result of a coaching decision, provided the hoped-for motivation boost for the DSV women's team following the retirement of Denise Herrmann-Wick (34). The Olympic and world champion had secured all the individual World Cup podium places in the previous season with three victories and two third places, partly concealing the performances of the others. "That was a mega race and, above all, outstanding shooting. I'm very happy about that. Keep it up," Herrmann-Wick told the German Press Agency after the great results of her former teammates.
The last time the highly talented Preuß, who was repeatedly plagued by health problems, stood on the podium in Oslo on March 20, 2022, finishing second in the mass start. She celebrated her only victory to date in the mass start in Ruhpolding on January 20, 2019. Preuß was still disappointed after the last test races in Sjusjoen, Norway, but has now repaid the coaches' trust with an impressive performance.
In the same Biathlon World Cup where Preuß narrowly missed victory, her German teammate Vanessa Voigt claimed third place, also delivering a flawless shooting performance. Despite missing the pre-season and the home World Championships in Oberhof due to health issues, Preuß's impressive comeback helped her achieve the World Championship standard in the first race.
Source: www.dpa.com
