Richmond --
Stephanie Beckert cheered somewhat incredulous, Daniela Anschutz-Thoms had to be consoled by her coach Stephan Gneupel: The 21-year-old Senkrechtstarterin Beckert took on Sunday with the first speed skating silver medal for the German team at the Winter Games in Vancouver.
"Of course, the slump can be mad, I must erstmal," Beckert said after her perfect Olympic debut. Contrast, their 35-year-old club colleague Daniela Anschutz-Thoms again missed their first individual medals - just three hundredths.
Gold was at the Richmond Olympic Oval to the Topfavoritin and five-time champion Martina Sablikova from the Czech Republic in track record time of 4:02,53 minutes. She gave her country the first Olympic gold medal in this sport. Canadian Kristina Groves won the bronze (4:04,84) before Anschütz-Thoms (4:04,90). Katrin Mattscherodt from Berlin came 13th
Beckert has continued along its surge. "I am totally happy right now," said the blonde, who was quicker on the final lap as Sablikova 4:04,72 minutes and its direct competitor depends Groves. "I did have quite a shake, but it does have enough."
"Sablikova runs like from another planet. This had been hinted at in training. Since we were quite clear that it would be very difficult to beat them, "said coach Markus Eicher.
The skinny 22-year-old had once trained as a teenager with Claudia Pechstein in Berlin. In the Czech Republic, there is still no 400-meter track. After disem triumph over 5000 meters world record holder hopes now that she can make enough money to loose the state.
The ex-basketball player Sablikova had sent to him as the first of the medal candidates on the ice and distributed according to their class time had kisses into the audience. Clara Hughes of Canada, the 37-year-old Olympic champion from 2006, was, despite the vociferous cheer of 7600 spectators in the sold-out hall empty-handed as fifth.
The nerves had blankgelegen among workers already in the Eispause when there was a breakdown of the treatment: It ran out of water from the machine. The Dutch coach pushed for more Eispause, but the jury rejected this.
Beckert had this winter has risen like a phoenix from the ashes and climbed into every World Cup race on the podium. In Heerenveen and Calgary Sablikova she had taught over 3,000 yards so far only defeats of the season.
She comes from a eislaufverrückten family: Her mother and five siblings all tried their hand in speed skating. Beside her are her brother Patrick - the day before 22nd over 5000 meters - and Pedro and sister Jessica is still active.
