Mental care does not use Anna-Lena Forster now. As athlete as a studied psychologist, the monoskier driver is more than aware of this aspect in competitive sports. And because it may also be so strong, she will be able to use this knowledge in China and need. For the 26-year-old is not only Germany’s banner at the opening ceremony, but also by far the biggest hope of the winter paralympics in Beijing. And is thus under the great pressure to deliver.
“With this new pressure situation, I have to realize once,” says Forster, who has been working with Zsuzsanna Zimanyi, sports psychologist and career consultant for some time at the Olympic City of Freiburg: “The question is: how do I deal with that attention is on me? But I feel tentally strongly strengthened and hope that I can also be a cool sock in Beijing. “
She could always overcome and bring her performance into the snow just when counted.
Schaffelhuber about Forster
Forest, Forster has always been, assures Anna Schaffelhuber. “I’m sure she goes in with a wide cross there,” says the resigned seven paralympics winer in Forsters class: “What I had always had respect for her: she could always overcome and bring her performance into the snow, if it has been counted. While I was always little slower in the race than in training, she became even faster. That’s why I think she will well deal with the unfamiliar situation. “
In 2014 in Sochi, Schaffelhuber won five gold medals at five starts and became the “Gold-Anna”, which then 18-year-old Forster brought twice silver and once bronze. In the last games in 2018 in Pyeongchang, the friendly Gold-Duel already went 2: 2. In these two disciplines, slalom and in the station wagon, “she is a secure bench in Beijing,” she believes Schaffelhuber: “But Favoritin is her for me in all five disciplines.”
No optimal general rehearsal, the better premiere?
For the first time, Forster goes to the start on Saturday. In the descent, the pressure is actually in the frame, but it will be an important signpost. At the World Cup in January won Forster, which has a femurhypoplasia – her thigh is strongly shortened, in the tibia missing bones, the right leg completely – four times gold. But there was their strongest competitor, the Japanese Momoka Muraoka, not there. “And I have not seen strong Chinese competition since Pandemiebrag,” says Forster. In the departure training she was second behind Muraoka. “Maybe it was not bad that she did not win,” says Bundestrainer Justus Wolf: “According to the motto: no optimal general rehearsal, the better premiere.”
The flag as an additional motivation boost
The “Icake” for Forster was already before the first competition in the form of honor as a flag carrier. As “role models for people with and without disability” they have chosen them and biathlet Martin Fleants, says Chef de Mission Karl Quade. And Forster accepted, although this affects the preparation for the first competition. “The motivation that gave me the opening ceremony in the past games was always big,” she says: “For this experience, the wide journey is worth the stadium and back.”
And what does it bring them to the German team, which is difficult for that through withdrawal, diseases and injuries? “I want to have fun and be satisfied with me and my performance,” says Forster at first carefully. Then clarify: “Of course I am here to win medals. And a gold medal must be at least in it.”
German schedule of Paralympic Games in Beijing