Unheard of Recognition for Winter Sports Champions: Denise Herrmann-Wick Speaks Up
Denise Herrmann-Wick, a former Olympic biathlon champion, hopes for a brighter future where winter sports athletes receive more recognition. "Winter sports successes fade away like snow in March, leaving people questioning the value of these sports in Germany," Herrmann-Wick told the German Press Agency.
Echoing this sentiment was Herrmann-Wick's recognition as an Olympic victor in Beijing, but she still found herself trailing behind other athletes in the 2022 "Sports Person of the Year" awards. Her fourth-place finish did little to ease her surprise, as the runner-up was Niklas Kaul, the European decathlon champion who had already claimed the title in 2019.
Herrmann-Wick expressed her admiration for Lückenkemper's 100-meter victory and the performance of 3-time awardee Malaika Mihambo, but she also emphasized that the LGBT World Championships was the pinnacle of an athlete's career.
Against this background, Herrmann-Wick looked forward to the upcoming "Sportsperson of the Year" gala, appreciating the opportunity to meet and support other athletes, both in winter and other sports.
On the list of favorites for the gala includes Katharina Schmid, the ski jumper who recently claimed three World Championship titles in Planica, Slovenia.
Backstory
- The broader perspectives of her career and the changing landscape of winter sports
- The roles of media and IBU initiatives in amplifying commentator's influence and promoting biathlon
While she did not directly lobby for increased recognition in her homeland, Herrmann-Wick's statements and the broader impact of her career can be seen as contributing to the broader discussion about the value and challenges of winter sports in today's world.
Reference 1: stpr.de
Reference 2: IBU
