Swiss day of joy marred by the fall of Kohler: dad Walti Odermatt has also lost his party mood

class=”sc-cffd1e67-0 fmXrkB”>

A dream day, the sun is shining, the fans are beaming, Marco Odermatt is in the leader’s box and receiving the congratulations on his first downhill victory in the World Cup. Who else should beat him after his dream run?

Swiss ski president Urs Lehmann gives interviews in the finish area, father Walti Odermatt treats himself, against his usual habits, to a glass of white wine, the audience whispers about Marco Kohler’s sixth best split with starting number 35. But then, in the middle of happiness it suddenly becomes very quiet in Wengen. The 26-year-old falls heavily and this can be seen on the big screen in the finish area. Kohler remains down, immediately raises his arm and waves, indicating that something serious has happened.

Marco Kohler, of all people. In 2020, he fell as the leading rider shortly before the finish on the Lauberhorn. He had to be taken to hospital by helicopter. The diagnosis was cruel, everything in the knee was broken: cruciate ligament, medial ligament, lateral meniscus, patellar tendon.

And now again, especially now that he had mentally overcome the drama of that time, when he showed what greatness he has with an eighth place in Val Gardena and a tenth place in Bormio. The helicopter must restart. Kohler is taken to hospital in Interlaken.

Walti Odermatt has lost his party spirit

Franjo von Allmen, his teammate, is waved goodbye. He drives past the place where Kohler is being treated on the track. He sees that his colleague is standing, which calms him down. That’s all he knows at the moment. He rides upright to the finish, where he is greeted enthusiastically and then taken back to the start in the helicopter. Not an easy situation for the 22-year-old from the Bernese Oberland. Neither mentally nor physically. How many grains does he have left in his body? How does he process the shock of his colleague’s fall?

Papi Walti Odermatt has lost his party spirit. His family and Kohler’s are too close. Marco and Marco, who have raced together from an early age, more with each other than against each other. Fog moves towards the finish track in Wengen. As if that doesn’t bode well. Marco Kohler is taken away. Franjo von Allmen starts again and drives furiously.

The cheering in the finish area is enormous. Von Allmen is in 14th place, beaming at this great result, happy and worried about his friend. He has to classify his feelings somehow, which is difficult.

Odermatt gives his winning interviews, his father takes a breather, Urs Lehmann asks about Marco Kohler’s health. It’s a strange day. Actually a happy day from a Swiss perspective, but marred by Kohler’s nasty fall. Everyone hopes for good news from the hospital in Interlaken. But it doesn’t look good. And that is bitter and unfortunate.

Source : Blick