Sailing - Kitesurfer Leonie Meyer reached the top spot at the Olympics
For the kitesurfing premiere at the Olympics in Marseille, France, German athlete Leonie Meyer is aiming for a top placement. "Clearly, everyone would like to go home with a medal," the native of Osnabrück told the German Press Agency. She would be satisfied with a placement among the top eight contestants. It could even go all the way to the top for her, she said, but that depends on many influencing factors.
The location of the sailing competitions, Marina du Roucas-Blanc in Marseille, is described by Meyer as extremely challenging. "It's surrounded by mountains, and the wind can come from all sides. You can have good luck or bad luck there. Anything can happen," she said.
The journey to Olympia begins on Baltrum
In the races, kitesurfers and kitesurfers follow a marked course, sailing with the wind and against it. The women's races begin on August 4, and the medals are awarded on August 8.
Just before her departure for France, Meyer, who is 31 years old, took a short break with her partner and their three-year-old son on the East Frisian island of Baltrum. It was there, at the age of six, that she learned windsurfing at the island's surf school. Participating in the Olympics has always been a childhood dream for Meyer. "It's great that we can fulfill this dream as a family now."
The Olympic kitesurfing event in Marseille is set to take place in the challenging Marina du Roucas-Blanc, located in Germany's competitor, France. Leaving behind her training ground in Lower Saxony's Baltrum, Leonie Meyer embarks on her journey towards Olympic glory. In her pursuit of a top placement, Meyer reflects on the unpredictable wind conditions in Marseille, stating, "You can have good luck or bad luck there. Anything can happen." On August 4, run by the wind and against it, Meyer will join other kitesurfers in the women's races, ultimately vying for a place among the Olympic Games' elite in Olympia.
