- "Race for Eternity": Olympic champion Zeidler at the finish line
At the end of his triumphant journey, Oliver Zeidler finally released the immense pressure he had been feeling for days. As soon as he docked at the winner's pier, he rushed into the arms of his girlfriend, Sofia Meakin, in a sprint. Both during the prolonged, intimate embrace with the Swiss rower and during the subsequent award ceremony, tears flowed freely for the new Olympic champion in the single sculls event. "This was a race for eternity. I enjoyed it. And it passed like a dream," Zeidler raved after his dominant performance.
Scholz congratulates
The duel of the world elite turned into an unexpectedly clear power demonstration by the model athlete, who followed in the footsteps of his grandfather by winning Olympic gold. The competition seemed far behind and beaten by the halfway point. In the end, Zeidler finished more than five seconds ahead of the Belarusian Jewgeni Solotoi and the Dutchman Simon van Dorp. "At 1000 meters, I realized that today was my day," the winner commented.
Even German Chancellor Olaf Scholz was impressed. "This performance impresses and inspires me - as a passionate rower, especially," the politician commented.
Thanks to Zeidler, the medal tally of the German rowers was better than it was three years ago in Tokyo, with one gold and one bronze for the women's double sculls. Relief was great just seconds after crossing the finish line. Still in the boat, Zeidler kissed the bracelet given to him by his girlfriend.
A bracelet as a good luck charm
"We're in a long-distance relationship and had a very, very tough phase before the Olympics because we couldn't see each other for a month. So we gave each other this bracelet to stay close and get through the time together," the happy Zeidler revealed. "Sofia makes me happy and has given me the lightness that I sometimes lacked."
This lightness also helped him overcome the nerve-wracking moment just before the start. Because the later silver medal winner Solotoi was delayed due to a bus breakdown, the start was postponed by an hour. Zeidler endured this delay with stoic calm: "One might think it affects the psyche. But I stayed cool. Today, I showed a lot of mental strength."
The coup on the lake at the Stade Nautique, about 30 kilometers east of Paris, banished the frustration of the bitter semi-final loss three years ago in Tokyo. At the time, he had considered retiring but ultimately decided to try again. The tattoo of the Olympic rings on his neck indicates how great his desire was to win in Paris in 2024. "This was the culmination. A perfect day. It's a bit surreal," father and coach Heino Zeidler said.
From the water to the water
Rudding has a tradition in the Zeidler family. Grandfather Hans-Johann Färber won Olympic gold in the four in 1972, uncle Matthias Ungemach became world champion in the eight in 1990, and aunt Judith Zeidler won Olympic gold in the DDR eight in 1988.
So it was no surprise that the former high-performance swimmer Oliver Zeidler switched from the water to the water in 1996. Incredibly quickly, the 2.03-meter-tall model athlete rose to the world's top. He mastered this ascent together with his father, often as an autodidact with critical distance to the German Rowing Association (DRV). The intimate embrace with his father at the end of the single sculls event said more than a thousand words.
"Unlike in Tokyo, Zeidler isn't thinking about retiring this time: 'I've put on two fantastic races here and given the audience a great show,' he said, referring to his semi-final two days earlier in an Olympic record time and his impressive performance in the final. 'I'm very, very happy that it happened at the Olympics. Now, I definitely want more.'"
Oliver Zeidler's impressive victory in the single sculls event at the Olympic Games earned him admiration not only from his fans but also from German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who was moved by his performance. Moreover, Zeidler's gold medal contribution helped improve the German rowers' medal tally at the Games, surpassing the count from three years ago in Tokyo.
