Paul Robbins, NBC, februari 2002
Leaping to a medal favorite
Hannawald�s journey could lead to Olympic gold
For three years, Sven Hannawald played Tonto to Martin Schmitt�s Lone Ranger. No more.
THE ROLES HAVE CHANGED DRAMATICALLY after Hannawald became the first ski jumper in the 50-year history of the fabled Four Hills Tournament � the so-called Springertournee with its two meets in Germany (Oberstdorf and New Year�s Day in Garmisch-Partenkirchen) and two in Austria (Innsbruck and Bischofshofen) � to win all four events. Hannawald won the last of the four Jan. 6 at
Bischofshofen.
How significant was this? Think Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling throwing back-to-back no-hitters against the Yankees in the World Series.
In the 1999 season, Schmitt � then just 20 and a member of Germany�s silver medal-winning jumping team at the 1998 Nagano Games � started an amazing burst that saw him win 21 World Cup events in two years.
He won the World Cup title each season and anchored Germany�s gold medal performance in the team event at the 1999 World Championships. During a euphoric afternoon in a light rain in Bischofshofen, he and Hannawald went gold-silver in the large hill (120-meter) jumping contest.
SCHMITT WAS WORLD CUP KING
During the 1999-2000 season, Schmitt won a record 11 meets and repeated as World Cup king. Hannawald, ignoring unsubstantiated reports in the German media about how he must be anorexic because he was so thin, won four times and finished fourth overall.
Last season was the �Year of the Pole� as thumb-sized Adam Malysz returned to the World Cup, equaled Schmitt�s year-old mark of 11 victories, and split the gold medals at the World Championships with Schmitt. Malysz won gold on the 90-meter hill and Schmitt gold on the 120-meter hill.
Hannawald, still in Schmitt�s immense shadow, was ninth overall for the season and failed to win a World Cup event.
SORE KNEES DOG SCHMITT
Things have changed this season as Schmitt has been bothered by patella tendon problems in both knees, which hobbled him in his takeoff so he couldn�t get over his skis quickly. As the Springertournee ended Jan. 6 in Bischofshofen � where he and Hannawald hit their heights in 1999 at the worlds � Schmitt finished seventh and Hannawald was the star ascendant.
How did Hannawald get there?
He credits a seven-month strengthening program started last spring, which added almost 10 pounds (4.5 kilos) to his pencil-thin frame. He�s now about 145 pounds. The extra beef has helped him with his takeoff, and adding his club coach, ex-World Cup jumper Wolfgang Steiert, has given him a boost of confidence.
And confidence in ski jumping, as it is in so many sports, is such a cornerstone to success: the more success you have, the more bulletproof you feel.
HANNAWALD IS BIG-HILL JUMPER
Hannawald prefers the large hill � the bigger the better. The 2000 world ski-flying (185-meter) champion, Hannawald has won all 10 of his World Cup titles on large (or flying) hills.
"I�ve coached for 30 years," said German coach Reinhart Hess, "and I still don�t understand what happens sometimes. I can�t explain it. Nobody can ... and it is so with Sven. I can�t explain it."
And the best might be yet to come.
U.S. coach Kari Ylianttila, who was the overall Sprintertournee champion in 1978 while jumping for Finland, feels Hannawald and the Olympic jumps at Utah Olympic Park could be made for each other.
"It�s a good fit. The profile of the hill is a lot like Innsbruck and Bischofshofen and it fits Hannawald�s technique very good," he said.