Johannes Lochner wins silver ahead of Justin Kripps with bronze
Yanqing (RWH) After winning gold in the 2-man bobsleigh, Francesco Friedrich (GER) has also claimed Olympic victory in the 4-man bobsleigh at the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing. Friedrich had already won gold in both sleds in 2018 in PyeongChang, now making him the first bobsleigh pilot in the sport's Olympic history to repeat a double Olympic victory at the next Winter Games.
With his push crew of Thorsten Margis, Candy Bauer and Alexander Schueller, Friedrich had a 0.37-second lead over second-placed teammates Johannes Lochner (GER) with Florian Bauer, Christopher Weber and Christian Rasp after the four race runs at the Yanqing Sliding Center. For Lochner, who was 4-man bobsleigh World Champion tied with the Friedrich crew in 2017, Olympic silver is the first medal at Winter Games.
The bronze medal in 4-man bobsleigh was celebrated by Canada's Justin Kripps with Ryan Sommer, Cam Stones and Ben Coakwell (0.79 seconds back) at the end of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. Pilot Justin Kripps had won Olympic gold in the 2-man bobsleigh tied with Francesco Friedrich in PyeongChang in 2018. Bronze in the 4-man bobsleigh is his first Olympic medal in the large sled and the third for Canada after gold in 1964 (Victor Emery) and bronze in 2010 (Lyndon Rush).
Christoph Hafer with Michael Salzer, Matthias Sommer and Tobias Schneider (GER) in fourth finished just behind the medal ranks at the Yanqing Sliding Center. Oskars Kibermanis (LAT) with Davis Springis, Matiss Miknis and Edgars Nemme came in fifth ahead of the British quartet of pilot Brad Hall with Taylor Lawrence, Nick Gleeson and Greg Cackett.
The two 4-man bobsleigh teams of the Olympic hosts from China, pilot Li Chunjian with Ding Song, Ye Jielong and Shi Hao as well as Sun Kaizhi with Wu Qingze, Wu Zhitao and Zhen Heng, finished the Olympic race on their home track in 16th and 17th place out of a total of 28 starters. ©RWH2022
Francesco Friedrich (GER, Olympic Champion 2018 and 2022, four times World Champion).
"Those were three, four tough weeks here in Beijing. Then we were still behind in the first run - that we could still turn the thing around here like that is fantastic. Every gold has its own stories and emotions, you can't compare that."
Johannes Lochner (GER, Olympic silver medallist 2022, World Champion 2017)
"I am incredibly happy that we are all standing here as a team with the medal around our necks. There is so much pressure on me as a pilot, I can't make any mistakes. This is the greatest feeling in an athlete's life right now."
Justin Kripps (CAN, 2022 Olympic bronze medallist, 2022 overall World Cup runner-up).
"I was really happy with our performance in the 4-man bob. Especially that the four of us are standing here as a team with a medal. I knew it was a matter of hundredths in this race and I'm glad we made it.“
Photos: IBSF / Viesturs Lacis
