After her six victories this season in the women’s ski jumping World Cup, she was also the big favorite for the Olympic Games in Beijing. But Marita Kramer could be taken out of the medal race prematurely by the corona virus. The Salzburg native experienced a trough of emotions over the past weekend. The 20-year-old first won the jumping on the large hill in Willingen on Saturday. In the evening she delivered a positive test. Which meant that the planned journey to China fell through for the time being.
The Austrian Ski Association announced yesterday that Kramer is well and without symptoms, and the goal remains to compete in the Olympics. Kramer started the journey home isolated from her teammates, all of whom tested negative. “Currently, those responsible for the ÖOC and the ÖSV are working on a schedule to enable the World Cup leaders to start in Beijing.” The women’s ski jumping on the normal hill is already scheduled for Saturday, with the mixed competition taking place two days later.
Departure postponed
The departure of the women jumpers to Beijing planned for today has now been postponed by at least one day. The entry requirements for the Olympic Games currently require four consecutive negative PCR test results at a time interval of at least 24 hours as a result of a positive test result.
If Kramer, who currently has a Ct value of over 30, should all the tests that follow, including the one yesterday, be negative, she could still be on the plane to China on Wednesday. Mario Stecher, the sports director of the ÖSV, is hoping for this scenario. “That would be the best option,” said the 44-year-old. No matter how this value develops in the near future – the ÖSV will fight to the last for one of its greatest hopes for a medal to compete in the Olympics. “The last chance is that she lands in Beijing at 6 a.m. on Saturday and starts at 5 p.m.,” said Stecher.
According to Stecher, Kramer tested negative on Wednesday and Thursday, and the sample taken on Saturday shortly before the competition in Willingen finally brought a positive result. “Even if she is symptom-free, she is not doing well given the circumstances. She is the World Cup leader and one of the favorites, of course you are depressed,” said Stecher.
Stecher doesn’t think much of the theory that an infection could have been avoided if Kramer hadn’t traveled to Willingen. “We are all vaccinated and tested. Within this bubble there is very little possibility of contagion. In fact, this is the safest environment.” Kramer said just a few days ago that he would not eat together at the family table for fear of infection. “It would be the nightmare for every athlete if you couldn’t start because of Corona,” said the 20-year-old at the time. Now she must deliver her first negative test by Tuesday at the latest so that the nightmare does not become a reality.
Of the ski jumpers, only Daniela Iraschko-Stolz, who recently took a break due to knee problems, is traveling from Munich to Beijing today. Eva Pinkelnig and Jacqueline Seifriedsberger from the Innviertel are scheduled to leave on Tuesday. The latter came in strong ninth in Willingen in borderline conditions due to strong winds and a competition consisting of only one round. Pinkelnig, 24th, had spoken of irregular conditions even before the demolition. Austria’s jumpers didn’t compete at all yesterday, Slovenia’s Nika Kriznar won.
Baumgartner not at the start
The Corona alarm bells are now ringing in the ÖOC team. It was announced on Saturday that freeskier Samuel Baumgartner from SC Hinterstoder was missing the games due to a corona infection. Yesterday bobsled pusher Markus Sammer tested positive in Beijing.
Austria’s eagle in Willingen without a top place
The last World Cup competition in Willingen before the Olympic Games was only conditionally worth the trip for Austria’s men. Norway’s Marius Lindvik won the second individual competition yesterday ahead of Germany’s Karl Geiger and Slovenia’s Cene Prevc, while on Saturday the Japanese Ryoyu Kobayashi won the first competition with just one round. Large hill world champion Stefan Kraft showed an upward trend from a home perspective. The man from Salzburg finished sixth yesterday, his ÖSV teammate Thomas Lackner seventh. “I’m flying to Beijing with a better feeling now,” says Kraft. “He’s trying and fighting, it’s just not quite that light yet,” says coach Harald Diess.
Daniel Huber finished ninth on Saturday as the best ÖSV eagle, yesterday he had to make do with 20th place.
Source: Nachrichten
