Daniel Hemetsberger has conquered the weaker self and took a sensational fourth place at the World Cup downhill classic in Bormio with a hussar ride. “It has been my goal for a long time to be the best Austrian in such a strong team. I am overjoyed that it worked, ”beamed the SV Unterach athlete, who at the tender age of 30 ended up in the middle of the world’s best skiing. The way there turned out to be rocky. The indestructible “daredevil” has already had four cruciate ligament tears behind him in his career, the youngest he contracted three years ago on the Pista Stelvio. So where he showed on Tuesday with second place in training. Today he confirmed this achievement. Hemetsberger tamed the “white best”, only 19 hundredths of a second separated him from his first place on the podium.
Nevertheless, the man from the Salzkammergut celebrated his best World Cup result, after which he can count on serious chances of his first participation in the Olympics. A ticket for Pekinig 2022 would be the deserved reward for the efforts Hemetsberger went to. “For me it is a dream that I can go so far up front. Two or three years ago, I didn’t know how things would go on with my Hax’n because they are badly damaged, ”said Hemetsberger in an OÖN interview during the Alpine World Ski Championships in Cortina in 2021, where he was a substitute.
“Vinc is a cool guy”
In Italy, Hemetsberger celebrated with downhill and Super G gold medalist Kriechmayr, whom he admires very much. “The Vinc is a cool guy. What he has already achieved is huge. That’s good for me at full throttle. We were in the Austrian national squad together and competed in school races together, “says Hemetsberger, looking back:” Then we parted ways a bit because I had so many injuries. Now I’m happy to be back. “
The “stand-up man” had to be 26 years old to be allowed to debut in the World Cup. That was on January 20, 2018 – not anywhere, but on the infamous Kitzbühel Streif, which Hemetsberger was not able to scare at. The “wild dog” tamed her – when she was 45 at the time. Three years later, it was there that he should achieve his first top ten result (10th) in the World Cup.
“Oida father!” Pure adrenaline. Daniel Hemetsberger blurted out after the “proud Nussdorfer” had covered the original Streif route in training in 1: 58.64 minutes for the first time in his career on January 18, 2018. “This makes a childhood dream come true”, smiled Hemetsberger, who enjoyed full support from home. Mama Gabriele and Papa Walter shone with the sun when they found out that the junior was ready for the Streif.
“I was really looking forward to the Streif, the tension up there came late. And then you just knock yourself owi. That was huge. You fight, move like in a tunnel and still have time to think, ”said Hemetsberger, describing his impressions and, like an old professional, brought his head sponsor“ Attersee Salzkammergut ”into the picture. He is still a loyal companion today.
Source: Nachrichten
