Claudia Pechstein of Germany takes part in a training session at the National Speed Skating Oval in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 31, 2022. (Xinhua/Wu Wei)
Five-time Olympic speed skating gold medalist Claudia Pechstein, who will make history as the first woman to attend eight Winter Olympics in Beijing, and 13-time world bobsleigh champion Francesco Friedrich will be Germany's flag bearers at the Beijing 2022 opening ceremony.
by Oliver Trust
BERLIN, Feb. 3 (Xinhua) -- Two of Germany's most successful athletes Claudia Pechstein and Francesco Friedrich are going to carry the German flag at the opening ceremony of the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games on Friday.
In a combined vote of fans and athletes, the 49-year-old speed skater Pechstein and the 31-year-old bobsledder Friedrich were selected out of a group of six athletes.
Ahead of his third Games, two-time Olympic champion Friedrich spoke about "an accolade for every athlete to be selected," which he believes is an equivalent to winning a gold medal at the 2022 Games. "It's a special honor for me as an athlete."
Francesco Friedrich (front) and Martin Grothkopp of Germany compete during the the two-man bobsleigh event at the IBSF World Cup Bobsleigh and Skeleton series, in Sigulda, Latvia, Feb. 15, 2020. (Photo by Edijs Palens/Xinhua)
Pechstein spoke about a career highlight despite having carried the German flag at the closing ceremony at the Turin Winter Games in 2006.
"To carry our flag is a great honor, it is somehow the dot on the 'i.' It means more to me than all of my medals I won so far," Pechstein said ahead of her eighth Winter Games.
Pechstein has won nine Olympic medals as she added two silver and two bronze medals to her five golden ones from 1992 to 2006. She will be the first woman to attend eight Games in Beijing.
Claudia Pechstein of Germany competes during the women's 3000m speed skating final at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia, Feb. 9, 2014. Claudia Pechstein took the 4th place with a time of 4 minutes and 5.26 seconds. (Xinhua/Wang Haofei)
Five-time Olympic champion Pechstein and 13-time world champion Friedrich outpaced luger Nathalie Geisenberger and snowboarder Ramona Hofmeister, as well as ice hockey team captain Moritz Muller and luger Tobias Wendl.
"I have won about everything possible in my career. To now carry the flag as an Olympic record participant makes me extremely proud," said Pechstein, who narrowly lost the voting four years ago.
Despite her first competition taking place a day after the opening ceremony in the 3,000m race, Pechstein decided to be around. "I am realistic, I won't win a medal. I will enjoy the ceremony. It's a goosebumps moment I will take through the Games with me," she said.
Two days after the closing ceremony, Pechstein is turning 50. Now she feels like having reached the very top, 30 years after she had won her first Olympic medal, a bronze at the Games in Albertville. ■
