Even with the silver medal around her neck on the winner’s podium, Janina Hettich-Walz could hardly believe her spectacular World Cup coup. A little later she spoke to her husband on the phone, beaming overjoyed.
With the best race of her life, the 27-year-old redeemed the German team at the Biathlon World Championships in Nove Mesto and won the longed-for medal in the sixth World Championship race. “I can’t really understand what I’ve achieved today. An indescribable feeling. I’m happy for the whole team that the medal is finally here,” she said after her fantastic run to silver in the individual World Championships – her first individual medal Career.
The team had difficult days behind them: a public discussion of materials, disappointments and frustration. But like eleven years ago, when Andrea Henkel won the first medal for the German team with individual silver in the Czech Republic, this liberation could be the longed-for breast reliever. Especially since two other DSV ski hunters, 19-year-old World Cup debutant Selina Grotian in fourth place and Vanessa Voigt (26) in fifth place, were able to impress. “We had difficult days, everyone worked endlessly and today we were able to fight back,” said Hettich-Walz, who received endless support from all team members, trainers and supervisors in the finish area after the race. The relief of finally having the first precious metal in their luggage was more than palpable for everyone.
Medal important for the team
Sports director Felix Bitterling had the right feeling before the race, because in a conversation with assistant coach Sverre Olsbu Röiseland, he predicted a strong performance from Hettich-Walz: “My feeling is that Janina will let one out today,” he said afterwards, visibly relieved. This medal could have a big impact on the team.
In the five previous competitions, Germany’s biathletes had come away empty-handed and had mainly struggled with the poor skis – that was different now. Because the work and relentless analysis in the team had an effect. The material finally fit under the difficult conditions. “Big compliments to the technicians,” said Voigt, who shed tears of disappointment after the pursuit two days ago and spoke of an incredibly great race on her part. Hettich-Walz also felt “powerful. The material was so much better,” said the sports soldier, who had never previously been placed among the top 15 in a World Cup competition.
Even gold briefly seemed possible
Hettich-Walz had never been alone on a World Cup podium before, but now she had to admit defeat only to the new Italian world champion Lisa Vittozzi, 20.5 seconds behind, without any shooting errors. Bronze went to France’s Julia Simon, who failed to triumph for the first time at this World Cup after a penalty minute.
Hettich-Walz had previously only finished 35th and 25th in the sprint and pursuit and then struggled with himself. Three years ago she won silver in the women’s relay in Slovenia. “At the World Cup, only the medals count, so I’m super happy that I was able to get them today,” she said. For a short time, the title even seemed within reach for her flawless performance, but on the final lap she ran out of strength and the gap to Vittozzi grew. The last German individual world champion to date was Laura Dahlmeier in 2017. Two years ago in Beijing, Denise Herrmann-Wick won Olympic gold in the oldest biathlon race.
Grotian and Voigt also flawless
There was almost even more precious metal under the floodlights in the atmospheric World Cup arena in Nove Mesto. World Cup debutant Grotian and Olympic fourth-place finisher Voigt also narrowly missed the podium without any shooting errors. The duo was a good half a minute short of bronze.
“It’s a crazy day for the Germans. You can’t understand it,” said Grotian, who made zero mistakes in an individual for the first time in the first World Cup race of her career: “For me it was like in a movie. I can’t do it at all understand.” She also traveled to Nove Mesto without fulfilling the World Cup standards and did not expect to be used at all.
Medal candidate Franziska Preuß incurred two penalty minutes and, as the weakest of the German quartet in 15th place, surprisingly missed out on the top ten. “That’s super cool for Janina, I’m really happy about it. There’s nothing nicer, you can only take your hat off,” said Preuß, who traveled to the season’s highlight as Germany’s great hope for a medal.
