Feature: Skeleton icon Hermann, competing in German colors but training with the Russians
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E-mail Xinhua, January 18, 2022
By Oliver Trust
BERLIN, Jan. 18 (Xinhua) -- It might be one of Olympic sport's most unusual stories behind skeleton icon Tina Hermann.
The 29-year-old won seven World Championships for Germany from 2015 to 2021 and is one of the favorites for the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games, but she is coached by current Russian national coach Dirk Matschenz.
In 2020, the 42-year-old left the German team as head coach after some disputes due to his side job as the personal coach of Hermann for over ten years. Other German athletes seemed to have lost trust in Matschenz and feared advantages for Hermann.
The delicate situation led to a curious solution. Matschenz is coaching both the Russian team and Hermann.
While the German athlete competes for the German bobsled association, she is with the Russian team for World Cup events and is staying in their hotel.
"It's an enormous effort for him, but he does it without payment from my side as I couldn't afford it. I only bought the sled he completely assembled himself," Hermann commented.
The unusual solution has allowed her to find her way back to happiness. "I was devastated when he left the German team," Hermann said, admitting to having been in tears for days and contemplating retirement.
Matschenz's successor as Germany head coach can live with the situation but demanded to separate Hermann from the German side when it comes to pre-competition preparation.
"After a lot of meetings, we decided that Dirk can continue to coach Tina, but we need separation when it comes to accommodation and equipment," Germany's new head coach Christian Baude said.
Baude was the team's former assistant, working under Matschenz.
German sporting director Thomas Schwab stated the German team had to pull the ripcord in advance of the Winter Olympics in China.
The Germans feared Matschenz would use his inside knowledge to improve international competitors with his protege's help and newly-gained German know-how.
In fact, Matschenz has developed the Russian athletes into the sports' fastest starters in addition to improving their equipment significantly. The Russians have developed into one of Germany's closest challengers.
Hermann said she couldn't survive as an athlete without the support of her home coach. "He has been with me since 2011 when he became base camp coach in Konigssee," she stated.
The unusual story is one of an athlete and her long-time coach having dedicated their sporting life to a promising mission, only working when sticking together.
"He knows all about my sporting abilities and he can fix my equipment to my needs," Hermann said.
In advance of the Beijing Games, both sides seem to benefit from the unusual combination. Hermann is one of the candidates expected to win the gold medal, getting input from two nations. Enditem
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