Selina Grotian still gets the Olympic norm – and is accordingly relieved.
Biathlon top talent Selina Grotian (3 penalty laps/+1:01.3 minutes) secured the second part of the Olympic norm at the last minute with 13th place. She had only achieved her first partial norm with 15th place in the Ruhpolding sprint.
Accordingly, she was relieved after the race. Grotian admitted in a ZDF interview that “one hundred million” stones had fallen from her heart.
Selina Grotian secured the Olympic norm in the last race
A few moments later, she described her emotional state again in the mixed zone: “I’m overjoyed. I’ve already shed a few tears of joy. The last few weeks have been really tough. Ruhpolding isn’t really my place, because you have to shoot well here. The fact that it worked out here of all places is incredible.”
DSV Biathlon Sports Director Felix Bitterling made it clear after the race in the mixed zone how much pressure Grotian had been under: “I’m happy for Selina. You could tell that she was carrying it with her and had significantly more weight on her shoulders than just the 3.5 kilos of the rifle. That’s why I’m very happy.”
And Grotian herself also admitted that she had been under considerable pressure: “I don’t think I’ve ever felt such pressure. It’s almost indescribable. I was so nervous that I couldn’t sleep anymore.”