Ulrike Gräßler is exceptionally talented ski jumping silver medalist at FIS Nordic World Ski Championships. She is in conversation with Namita Nayyar President Women Fitnes
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
You must have started ski jumping at a young under your coach Bodo Dotzauer and later reached the pinnacle of success by winning World Ski Championships Silver in 2009 at Liberec and Bronze in 2013 at Val di Fiemme. What factors you consider were responsible that made you achieve that
Ms. Ulrike Gräßler:
First of all: To become a ski jumper was a random or my destiny. Around my hometown Eilenburg – situated in the Leipzig-Lowland – we have no mountains. But a jumping hill! The reason for it was that in Eilenburg was a chemical company. This company produced mats for summer ski jumping and tested it. So the company was building a jumping hill.
But the most important step at the beginning of my career was to go to the Ski jumping center in Klingenthal in the Erzgebirge Mountains. The Erzgebirge has the special part “Vogtland”, it is a highland in the southern part of Saxony. We have in Germany the special time when a lot of young talents will concentrate in youth training groups. We have it in Thuringia, the Alps, in the Blackwood forest and also in Saxony. The training helped my talent grow more and more. And it was a helpful in 2006 to go the German Federal Police. It is also a part of the special German way to be in the sport and also to offer the possibility to go to the German army Bundeswehr or to the Federal Police or to work for the German customs authority.
This was the right way. I got more space for training and my social standing was saved. Last but not the least my family and my coaches supported me and their support is with me all the time. I have to thank my coaches Daniel Vogler and now Andreas Bauer. And I’ve learned that sport on top level will only work if you fight hard for it. So I am what I am
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
You had an emergency appendectomy surgery in September 2013 in Russia and affected your 2013/14 season preparation. Nevertheless, you managed to qualify for the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games. You had the great honor to participate in Olympic Games. How you were able to overcome such a physical injury/setback and what advice you can give to fellow sports person in a similar situation
Ms. Ulrike Gräßler:
I’m very ambitious. This was the main reason. I wished to be an Olympian since the time when I was a young girl. I fought for it in the last years together with other ski jumping ladies we fought hard to play a role in the Olympic program. It was not easy in the last 12 months but friends and family helped me not to resign. Now the games are over and from today it is easy to say it worked. This is not the truth. It worked a little bit but it worked not like I hoped. With more time – I’m sure – I could have reached better results in Sochi. But I was sick there and all these problems were too much. My shape was bad on the Olympic day. But it was a success to go to start and never gave up.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
What exercises comprise your fitness regime or workout routine you shall like to share?
Ms. Ulrike Gräßler:
It is easy to answer this question: With muscle training, with stabilization, with jogging sometimes and of course with jumping – with or without ski.
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