THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE INTERNATIONAL BIATHLON ...

PERSONALITIES PersönlichkeitenVerena BENTELE – GERand her guide ThomasFRIEDRICH – GERVerena BENTELE – GERund BegleitläuferThomas FRIEDRICH –GERwere very friendly and open and the stadium always had agood amount of visitors,” she said, raving about the gamesthat some called “Bentelympics” back home.Now, after the Games, there is quite some hype surroundingher. The Paralympic star hardly has enough time to gether Master’s thesis in German literature done. However,“Usually we have very few competitions and virtually noattention by the media and that’s a pity. We are always faraway from Biathlon, from the World Cups or World Championships…Ofcourse I am in loose contact to the other GermanBiathletes but I would like it to train with them some more orto be closer to regular Biathlon in general.”Currently, she is not sure yet what thefuture will bring for her or if she willcompete for more medals at Sochi.“It also depends on what my guidewill do. He lives in Bonn and has afamily and his job, which makestraining very difficult. Also, Ineed to wait and see how myprofessional future develops.I can imagine working in communicationsor at IPC, whereI could help to further developmy sport.”Sport will always be an important part of her life, becauseBentele has gained a lot through it. “Because of the sportI could overcome my own limits numerous times already.I experienced a lot, many things that others will never experience,I am independent and mobile and I am fit. But themost important thing to me is to have something in my lifeI really love. No matter what will happen, I am sure I willalways do some kind of sport.” •Verena Bentele gewann insgesamt fünf Goldmedaillen beiden Paralympischen Winterspielen 2010 in Vancouver, eine injedem Wettbewerb, in dem sie angetreten war. DreiMedaillen entfallen dabei auf den Langlauf,zwei auf Biathlon. Dass sie von Geburt anblind ist, hindert sie nicht, durch dieLoipe zu stürmen und am Schießstandgenau zu zielen.In der Loipe benötigt sie dafürihren Begleitläufer ThomasFriedrich, der stets knapp vor ihrläuft und ihr bei jedem Schritt ein„hopp“ zur Orientierung zuruft.Anhand der oberen Hälfte der UhrMedals Plaza in WhistlerSiegerehrung in WhistlerVerena BenteleThe official Magazine of the IBU 20 I 2010 biathlonworld 93