German triathletes finish medal streak spectacularly
German triathletes win gold in mixed relay at Olympics. The quartet of Tim Hellwig, Lisa Tertsch, Lasse Lührs, and Laura Lindemann triumphs in Paris.
German triathletes have spectacularly ended their medal drought at the Olympics, winning their sixth gold medal in Paris for Team D. Tim Hellwig, Lisa Tertsch, Lasse Lührs, and Laura Lindemann won the mixed relay, securing the first German triathlon medal in 16 years. In a thrilling three-way battle, Lindemann, the final runner, overtook Britain and the USA.
The German mixed relay team had won the world championship title in the previous two years. In Paris, this discipline was part of the Olympic program for the second time. Before this, only Jan Frodeno with his victory in Peking 2008 and Stephan Vuckovic with silver in 2000 had won medals for Germany.
Hellwig, the starting runner, placed the team in second position after Britain with his 300m swim, 7km bike, and 1.8km run. Despite struggles with the strong current in the Seine, Tertsch took the lead, and Lührs pulled away with Britain. Lindemann then caught up with Beth Potter in the swim, closed the gap on the bike, and won the sprint finish.
The mixed relay event went ahead as planned despite discussions about the water quality in the Seine. The organizers gave the green light just ten hours before the start, despite a Belgian triathlete having previously withdrawn due to illness. The planned training sessions on Saturday and Sunday were canceled due to exceeded limit values.
The men's individual race was also postponed by one day. On Monday, the alternative duathlon of running, cycling, and running was not needed. The triathletes' competitions are the first to take place in the river Seine. The open water swimmers, including Florian Wellbrock and Leonie Beck, will also compete in the Seine on August 8 and 9.
The German triumph in the mixed relay at the Olympic Games 2024 in Paris adds another significant achievement to their history, building on their previous world championship titles. Spectators and athletes are eagerly anticipating the men's individual race and the open water swimmers' competitions, all set to take place in the Seine during the 2024 Olympic Games.
