Text by our german correspondent, Fabian Fiedler
Germany revealed their selection policies for the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro on Thursday. Leading up to the Rio Olympics, the German Triathlon Federation has changed their strategy and left the opportunity for young athletes to be in the mix.
Good things come to those who wait: As the last of the big triathlon nations, the German Triathlon Federation (DTU) finally revealed their selection policies for the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro in 2016. Similarly to most of the other big triathlon nations, Germany has focused primarily on the World Olympic Qualifying Event in Rio de Janeiro in early August. The German athletes knew several months ago that their first chance to claim a spot would be the Rio test event, but the Triathlon Federation waited for the agreement of the German Olympic Committee (DOSB) before doing so. –
Onlyone spot allocated in 2015
Essentially, the policy states that the best German athlete finishing in the Top 8 in the Rio Test Event will earn a spot for the Rio Olympics, provided they prove good fitness in 2016, with a top 15 result in a WTS race in 2016. If no athlete finishes in the Top 8 in Rio, a spot may also be attributed with a top 5 in the final ranking of the 2015 WTS. Realistically though, with Anne Haug slightly struggling after suffering a bone marrow edema in London 2014 and Steffen Justus having undergone a shoulder surgery during the winter, no German athlete seems to be in a position to round out the 2015 WTS final ranking in a top 5 position. One or two of the three spots available to the German Team will be allocated in a WTS race in 2016. Taking into account the current situation of the German athletes in regard to these criteria, it seems highly likely to see both the second and third spots attributed late in the Olympic run-up. It remains possible to see a tactical selection based on swim-bike ability if this further aids a medal opportunity.
Giving the youth a chance
The main difference from the London 2012 selection policy is that this time, only one spot will be allocated in the pre-olympic year. At the last Olympics, in 2011 Test Event in London allowed for two spots to be allocated to by those finishing in the top 12. The remaining spots were allocated in the WTS Madrid race in 2012. German head coach Ralf Ebli says this tactical decision was made very deliberately. “Those who fulfil our criteria in 2015 deserve to get their spot for the Rio Olympics”, Ebli told the German triathlon magazine ‘tri-mag.de’ . “But we want to win at least one medal in Rio 2016. So in the end, we don’t want to nominate the athletes who are the fastest in 2015, but those who will be the fastest in August 2016.” Especially on the women’s side, with the young Laura Lindemann and Sophia Saller closing in on the elite athletes, Germany has some promising talent which Ebli encourage by leaving selection spots open in 2016. “These young athletes are driving on the fast track at the moment. They can improve and develop a lot in only a six month’s time. We want to give them that chance and see what happens”, Ebli told tri-mag.de. Both Lindemann and Saller will also be given the chance to gain some more experience with sporadic starts in the World Triathlon Series 2015.