Lara Gut-Behrami misses game in Sölden and is scared

Lara Gut-Behrami spoke of fears and doubts after Sölden missed the start. Your problem is serious. So difficult that you have to ask yourself the question: Is her career coming to an end?

Martin Probst, Sölden/ch media

Just drive – and everything will be fine. Lara Gut-Behrami imagined it this way: “I thought that starting in Sölden I would be able to forget everything that happened last month.” It didn't work. Early in the morning—shortly after driving in—she knew: This wasn't going to work. “I feel like today is not the day to compete.”

Now you can say: it's not that bad. After all, Gut-Behrami is not the first athlete to voluntarily give up the game. This step requires courage, but it also shows maturity. Their preparation was anything but ideal. During a training camp in South America, she took a hit to her knee. An MRI scan showed everything was clear. But overall, she missed two weeks of snow training due to the incident.

Back in Switzerland, Gut-Behrami invited people to a press conference. She wanted to clear up rumors that she was injured. Gut-Behrami exuded confidence. All is well, that's her message. For ski fans, but in retrospect, probably mostly for yourself.

The facade starts to crumble

The night after the press conference, Gut-Behrami fell ill. She couldn't eat anything for four days. And don’t train for a week. «I've lost a lot of muscle in these weeks. Most importantly, my confidence. “Two days before she decided not to start, she publicly stated to a small media group that not everything was fine.

But people aren’t really worried either. Athletes like to keep a low profile about their true level before the season starts. Deep stacking is part of skiing.

But that's not the case. Your problem is huge. So much so, in fact, that after Sölden this Saturday you have to ask yourself: will this all end soon? Gut-Behrami's uncertainty was palpable as she tried to explain what happened at the finish. And not just because of her tears. “You can't start out wondering if you're going to stay healthy. Or if that's going to be the day you get hurt,” she said.

Next game in a month

The incident in South America was deeply etched in her mind. “I don't want to end my career with an injury. I want to be able to make my own decisions when it's over. I don't think it's today. I wish I could play again. But that's not the case.”

In the build-up to the game in Sölden, there was no sign of Lara Gut-Behrami.Image: trapezoid

If Gut-Behrami can't find a way to allay those doubts in the coming weeks, it could spell the end of her career. She herself said: “It takes 100 percent determination to win. I really enjoy racing, but sometimes the mental pressure becomes too much.” Ahead of the next planned race in the United States, Gut-Behrami now There was about a month to regain confidence in myself. (aargauerzeitung.ch)

The ZSC Lions also won their ninth home game of the season. In Sunday's only National League game, they beat Bern 4-3 after squandering a 3-0 lead and extra time.

The final say belonged to the champion and leader: after 3 minutes and 30 seconds of overtime, ZSC's top scorer Derek Grant scored the victory, sealing the extra point for Zurich. This is not statistically surprising: while Zurich has now won six of seven games after extra time, the Bernese are still waiting for a bonus point in extra time or a penalty after the seventh try Great war.