speed skating
Speed skater Vanessa Herzog has made it onto the World Cup podium for the first time since January 2021. On Sunday in Heerenveen, the fourth-placed athlete had to admit defeat by 27 hundredths in 37.48 seconds only to South Korea’s Kim Min-sun, who also won at the season opener in Norway. Jutta Leerdam from the Netherlands was third (+0.30).
“I’m extremely happy, on the one hand the weekend was almost perfect, and on the other hand it’s been a long and difficult time since my last podium place,” said 27-year-old Herzog, who had been slowed down by back problems last season.
“I just want to fight for victories and podiums again, that’s why the last few years have been tough. But I had to work my way back up after the difficult pre-season and at least over 500 meters wins are now within reach again. Over 1,000 and 1,500 meters, there is still a lot missing from the front places,” added Herzog, who is now third in the overall World Cup over 500 meters.
At the start of the season in Stavanger, the ex-world champion finished fourth on her parade route. Gabriel Odor finished twelfth in Division B in the Netherlands over 1,500 m in 1:48.39 minutes. With Ignaz Gschwentner and Alexander Farthofer he finished eleventh in the team sprint.