World champion Dauser abruptly turns away from the Olympics
At the last competition before the Olympics, Germany's best gymnast, Lukas Dauser, suddenly went limp with arm pain on the apparatus. The entire team is worried about his participation in Paris. But the world champion and Olympic silver medalist is fighting.
For Lukas Dauser, it's a "miracle" that Bundestrainer Valeri Belenki feels a "tailwind" for his entire gymnastics team. Four weeks after his severe upper arm injury, Barren-World Champion Dauser is ready for new shining moments at the Olympic Games in Paris. When the German team steps onto the podium for qualification at the Bercy Arena on Saturday, the 31-year-old is there as the leader and flagbearer - albeit with a reduced program. "I'm glad that everything is going well now and I'm ready at the floor and on the bar. That's the maximum I can do," said the Unterhaching native.
Four weeks of hope, worry, and tireless work by Germany's Sports Person of the Year to prevent a third Olympic Games absence. With a clean bar routine at the final Olympic qualification on June 22 in Rüsselsheim, Dauser received the final confirmation. "The bicep is holding," he said. "It's a miracle that I'm sitting here today and leaving for Paris tomorrow. Not just from a medical perspective, but also personally."
Mystery of the Injury
But what had happened? At the final Olympic qualification on June 22 in Rüsselsheim, Dauser suddenly went limp at the crossbar and held his right upper arm. The competition was over for him, and his Olympic dream was pushed far away. "For me, it was all over in that moment. I immediately felt that something had torn," Dauser recalled looking back. With a bandaged upper arm, he left the hall for an examination. The result left only one conclusion for the Olympic silver medalist from Tokyo: "Okay, that was it."
The doctors, however, gave Dauser courage that he could still start in Paris. "The doctors then told me that there was a minimal chance. When I heard that, I was immediately full of fire and passion," Dauser said. However, exactly which injury he had sustained remained a secret on the advice of the doctors - to the disappointment of the bar specialist.
"It's a more serious muscle injury. That annoyed me a bit that it wasn't made public, that wasn't my intention. Because many people thought, he must have just strained it. It tore," explained the German Multi-Event Champion. And even the head coach gave only a vague hint. "This muscle, which probably tore a little, has grown back according to the report of our team doctor," said Belenki.
Does the World Champion Have Gold Chances?
Without breaking the rules, Dauser was a contender for the Olympic victory on the Pommel Horse. In this elite circle, the sports soldier turned into an Olympic second, World second, and currently active World champion. However, the rule violation disrupted his plan to increase his gold chances through a more challenging exercise that he intended to debut for the first time in Russelsheim. Now, he is forced to resort to the presentation with which he celebrated his successes in the past three years. "Everyone who knows me knows that I'm not a medal contender. I'm trying to turn in my best performance, and then we'll see what comes out. Of course, it's different now due to this situation. But I've got my routine ready, and I'll show it," Dauser said.
The passed stress test also relieved Bundestrainer Belenki from the need to nominate Milan Hosseini as a replacement. "He brought his performance to both apparatuses, the Pommel Horse and the Floor. And we've seen that he's managed to perform his routine again, the one with which he became World champion," the 54-year-old said, "he can also motivate the team a bit and push it forward. It's like a tailwind." Although his points on the Pommel Horse and Rings would be missing, "But if he turns in his Pommel Horse routine and it runs as it did on July 17, then he'll get over 15 points, and that's good," Belenki added.
Besides Dauser, the 33-year-old Andreas Toba, Nils Dunkel, Pascal Brendel, and the 19-year-old surprise man Timo Eder belong to the Olympic team, which will again compete among the top eight teams and enter the final on July 29. "If we get through without a fault, it should be enough for the team final," Belenki said. Moreover, he hopes that not only Dauser but also Dunkel on the Vault, Toba on the Pommel Horse, and two of the three Multi-eventers Brendel, Dunkel, and Eder will qualify for the Final in the All-around.
Despite the initial concern after Lukas Dauser's injury at the Olympic qualification, his determination and hard work paid off. He managed to secure his spot in the Gymnastics - ORDER event at the Olympic Games 2024 in Paris, albeit with a reduced program.
With the German team's leader and flagbearer ready for the competition, the team is optimistic about their chances in Paris. Dauser's presence will undoubtedly boost morale and motivate his teammates, aiming for another successful run at the Olympic Games.
