Even in the last biathlon race of her career, Denise Herrmann-Wick does not want to take it easy in Norway. “You always want to get the best out of yourself when you’re at the start,” said Herrmann-Wick before the final appearance on Sunday (3:10 p.m. / ARD and Eurosport) at the season finale at the legendary Holmenkollen in Oslo: “I want to be in the mass start show again that I can do better.”
The sprint world champion alluded to her weak mass start performances this winter. In three starts, the 34-year-old from Saxony never made it into the top 20, neither in the World Cup nor at the home World Championships in Oberhof. “With what happened today, I will now enjoy everything. You can’t top today anyway,” said Herrmann-Wick on Saturday after her impressive triumph in the sprint.
With her eleventh World Cup victory, she also secured the discipline World Cup ranking and won the small crystal globe for the best sprinter of the season for the second time in her career. It was also special because many friends and their families were there in Oslo. They all saw how the former cross-country skier earned an audience with Norway’s King Harald on the penultimate day of her career. Only the winners are allowed in the box in the main grandstand. Herrmann-Wick took the rare opportunity for a selfie.
“What she has done is crazy,” said German assistant coach Sverre Olsbu Röiseland. Only the greatest athletes could handle such pressures. Olympic champion Herrmann-Wick also achieved the last sporting goal before her retirement. “It’s fantastic,” praised sporting director Felix Bitterling from the German Ski Association: “If you smack a first place, then there’s not much more to say, except: congratulations! Of course we’re also happy about the ball.”
