Even if there are still one or two medal chances for Austria before the closing ceremony on Sunday (1 p.m.) in the “Bird’s Nest” in Beijing, where Olympic ski champion Johannes Strolz will “proudly” carry the red-white-red flag ÖOC President Karl Stoss has already taken stock. And it was very positive. “These are already the third most successful games, we are very satisfied with the 17 medals so far (6x gold, 7x silver, 4x bronze, note)”, emphasized the 65-year-old from Vorarlberg: “We will make it among the top ten of the nations. We have a very broad base in many disciplines.”
This is underpinned by 58 top ten finishes, compared to 51 four years ago in Pyeongchang. The downer was not only eight fourth places (“that’s very bitter of course”), but also the total of 17 corona cases in the team and five injuries (Rädler, Wolf, Millauer, Müller and yesterday Hauser).
“The medical care worked excellently,” said Stoss, who emphasized the effort and friendliness of the organizers in China. “Of course there are problems here and there. It’s difficult to bring a certain degree of flexibility into the mind. Here the list is strictly worked through. I also had the feeling that I could move very restricted. Although I could see the ice rink from my hotel room I can’t walk there, I have to take the car.”
Longer waiting times for shuttle services in the freezing cold were not able to spoil the general mood in the red-white-red team. “I don’t hear any whining, there is a very positive spirit everywhere,” reported ÖOC Secretary General Peter Mennel (66), who emphasized the cooperation with the seven Olympic centers.
On Monday (10 a.m. local time) the charter plane with the members of the ÖOC delegation who are still in China will take off in order to bring all the protagonists to the medal ceremony in the Vienna Hofburg in time (Tuesday, 6.20 p.m., ORF 1). There, the medal winners receive the prizes promised to them – Philharmoniker coins worth 17,000 (for gold), 13,000 (for silver) and 11,000 euros (for bronze).
In 2023, the President, Executive Committee and Board of Directors of the Austrian Olympic Committee will be re-elected. He leaves it open whether Stoss – who has been at the helm since 2009 – will be available for another term. “It’s still more than a year to think about it. I can’t say it now. I want to finish this period properly and professionally.” Stoss will remain an IOC member at least until 2024. (alex)
Source: Nachrichten
