Jacqueline Lölling wins silver ahead of Elena Nikitina with bronze
Altenberg (RWH) The old and new Skeleton World Champion Tina Hermann (GER) has secured two more records at the BMW IBSF World Championships in Altenberg 2021 (GER). The 27-year-old, who was already crowned record World Champion in 2020 with her third title, is the first athlete with four World Championship titles and now three in a row. Tina Hermann won World Championship gold in women's skeleton in 2016 as well as in 2019, 2020 and 2021.
After the first race run in Altenberg, few would have bet on the defending champion: Tina Hermann found herself in eleventh place after a bad run. With best times in the second, third and fourth run, she then managed an impressive race to catch up over third and second place and then World Championships gold in the final.
Her team mate Jacqueline Lölling (GER), who had started into the final as the leader, dropped back to second place with a gap of 0.11 seconds. For the 2017 World Champion, silver in Altenberg is her fourth medal. Lölling was also World Championships runner-up in 2015 and 2019.
Third place and World Championship bronze went to European Champion Elena Nikitina (BFR, Bobsleigh Federation of Russia, 1.68 seconds back).
Just behind the medal ranks were 2019 World Championship bronze medallist Sophia Griebel (GER) and Junior European Champion Alina Tararychenkova (BFR), who tied for fourth, 0.02 seconds behind Nikitina.
Katie Uhlaender from the USA, the 2012 World Champion, finished the BMW IBSF World Championships in Altenberg in sixth place. In 2008, the now 36-year-old won World Championships silver in Altenberg.
Junior World Champion Hannah Neise (GER), surprisingly third after the first race run, dropped back to ninth place in the second heat. With two good runs on the final day, she finished her World Cup debut in seventh place.
For more detailed information including athlete profiles and results please visit ibsf.org. Photos for editorial use can be found at Flickr. ©RWH2021
Photos: IBSF / Viesturs Lacis
