Olympics – Pace skating – Oldest feminine competitor Pechstein feted at eighth Video games

By Krystal Hu

BEIJING (Reuters) – Three days earlier than her fiftieth birthday, the Winter Olympics’ oldest feminine competitor Claudia Pechstein didn’t add to her decades-long medal haul at Saturday’s velocity skating mass begin race – however nonetheless had a beautiful shock ready anyway.

The German got here a decent ninth, together with successful one of many dash sections. Although she missed the rostrum, admiring group mates honoured Pechstein with replicas of her previous medals.

“It’s all the time a dream to make the Olympics. Some folks don’t get it and I’ve (achieved) it eight instances and likewise with 9 medals,” she instructed reporters.

“It’s unbelievable and … I’m only a small previous lady.”

The primary lady to clinch 5 consecutive Winter Video games medals, Pechstein laughed at options her story is likely to be coming to an finish. She mentioned she needed to qualify for the World Cup in March and end the season earlier than deciding something.

She acknowledged, nevertheless, that tiredness caught up together with her between Saturday’s earlier semi-finals, the place she superior in seventh, and the ultimate.

A lot of the different skaters have been born after she began her skilled profession. Born in former East Germany, Pechstein’s first Olympics have been Albertville in 1992.

She was banned for 2 years by the Worldwide Skating Union (ISU) in 2009 over irregular blood ranges, forcing her to overlook Vancouver 2010. The ISU mentioned on the time that the values have been indicative of doping use.

Denying wrongoing and having by no means failed a doping take a look at, Pechstein battled again within the 2014 Sochi Olympics, the place she narrowly missed out on medals within the 3,000 and 5,000 metres.

Pechstein final gained a person World Cup title in 2017, the oldest lady to realize that. She attributes her athletic longevity pleasure within the sport and backing from family members.

“I’ve actually a lot enjoyable with the game. I might truly do good at my age and I’ve help from my boyfriend, from my group,” she mentioned. “This makes it simpler for positive should you can deal with this sport, however you additionally want just a little little bit of expertise to be on the highest degree.”

When not competing, she will probably be busy teaching her niece Nele Pechstein, a promising 10-year-old lengthy observe skater.

“I’ll push some younger children to make it … she will probably be an Olympic champion like me,” mentioned Pechstein.

(Reporting by Krystal Hu in Beijing; Modifying by Andrew Cawthorne)