Paul Herrmann

Paul Herrmann ( born November 16, 1985 in Dresden ) is a German Shorttracker.

Herrmann began as a hockey player, joined with twelve years for short track speed skating and had already reached some success at junior level. After he was injured more frequently between 2004 and 2006 and thus missed the qualification for the Olympic Games in 2006, he has been part of the 2006/07 season firmly established on the German national team. In the World Cup he denies predominantly 1500 -meter races and relay races. He won in early 2007 with the season the title of European Champion, three years later, he managed to qualify for the Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver.

Career

Junior Achievements ( to 2004 )

Herrmann's parents were both active skaters; in the Dresden sees a reason that he began as a hockey player at the age of three years. For nine years he coached this sport, but then switched to twelve years for short track speed skating, since he is "the best and also not the greatest was not" in ice hockey, as he said later in regard to this time. On success in the national junior level - in the age group of 14 to 15 years, he became the first German Junior Champion - her debut on the international stage when he went in 2003 at the Junior World Championships at the start. There, he managed more than 1500 meters of the semi-finals and thus the 14th. These convincing results meant that Herrmann was only nominated shortly after the Junior World Championships for the world championship in the adult area. As a substitute runner he arrived there, however, in the relay, the fifth occupied not used.

A similar situation arose before the season 2003/ 04, as Herrmann was appointed as the fifth man and thus as a "substitute on-call" to the World Cup team. Behind Sebastian praus, Arian neighbor, Thomas Bauer and Falko Grunewald but offered initially no chance to come to a use in the highest competition series. At the end of the Dresden came fourth in the election for the German Shorttracker of the year at the Sebastian praus won. Instead of a World Cup debuts Herrmann came in early January, 2004 in Beijing for the second time at a World Junior Championships. There he won on the first day of competition and qualified through the heats, the quarter and the semi-finals for the finals of the top seven runners. With the double victory of the South Koreans Lee Ho -suk and Kwon Ki- deok the Brit Jon Eley, he finished fifth among a total of 58 participants. Until then, there was no Germans still managed to qualify for the final race. Accordingly, the junior national coach Markus Tröger was very pleased with Herrmann and said:

" The power of Paul Herrmann 's not be overstated. He ran from the forward to the finals always sent and tactically strong and never once came by luck, but always with skill in the next round. "

Also in the other Junior World Cup competitions reached Herrmann good rankings, such as the tenth over 500 meters and ninth in the all around, go into the track all results. Here, the Dresden was also the most successful German athletes - the first one ever in the top ten were classified at a Junior World Championships - until Robert Seifert even won on the sprint distance three years later. The athlete himself was also surprised by his results, but also thought it was good that the World Championships are over now, as the many runs "pretty on the substance" went. His goal was now, still recommended for the World Cup team this winter for the first time. In fact, he became the World Cup finals in Bormio nominated in mid-February, where he was eliminated, however, about 1500 meters already in the lead, finishing in last place in the semi-final of the season.

Injury and prevented Olympic Qualification (2004 to 2006)

At the beginning of the 2004/05 season, Paul Herrmann had finally established itself in the A squad of German short track speed skating team. About 1500 meters he put it at the World Cup kick-off in Harbin, the German junior record in 2:18,658 minutes and joined overall as 13. The second World Cup he did not on the prelims on his parade route out. He then retired in Traning a cut injury and had to miss the upcoming World Cup in December. Time healed Herrmann was for a renewed participation in the Junior World Championships, which took place in Belgrade in January 2005. For the now 19 -year-old was the last start at a junior major event, from the winter of 2005 /06 he finally belonged to the adult area. In his last Junior World Championships, he made not quite on the successes of the previous year, classified in the all-around score, however, as good Thirteenth.

Before the season starts in 2005 Paul Herrmann was named German Junior Shorttracker of the year, together with Tina Grassow among women. The rest of the winter was marked by injuries: Actually planned for the World Cup opener in Asia in September, he fell due to inflammation from. The German national coach Jürgen Denhardt stated that Herrmann would have been in very good shape, As for the failure 'm even more annoying. In October, he retired again in a practice crash a cut injury, was thus made ​​for the Olympic Trials and so had no chance to qualify for the 2006 Olympic Games in Turin. Whatever the winter for the Germans was thus ended without a single World Cup competition. Nevertheless, he returned to the back end of the season, at least on a national level, and secured the bronze medal in the all around at the German Championships, came to the track victory over the 1000 meters. Thus he was in mid-2006 back to the candidate for the title of German Shorttracker of the year with the statement: " An injury early in the season made ​​the Olympic dreams of 20 -year-old man from Dresden burst, but at the end of the season he offered the seasoned Assen stand up. "

Establishment of the national team ( 2006-2008 )

His first continuous World Cup season saw Paul Herrmann in winter 2006/07. The kick-off in Asia and North America was mixed, the best results were but at least a twelfth rank in Changchun and a third place in the relay - Herrmann's first podium result. The rankings were constant, so that the Dresdner mid-January was nominated in 2007 for the first time for the European Championship. In the individual race, he managed no finals, so he was in the all-around scoring only 21 and the worst of the three Germans. With the season but he was successful at all three races he was involved when the Germans were for the second time after 2005 European champions. At the penultimate World Cup of winter in Heerenveen many non-European nations were not at the start, so the competition was occupied considerably weaker. Herrmann qualified in second place in the semifinals for the first time for the finals in the World Cup, however, the jury disqualified him and put him back to 19th place. The coach Markus Tröger was the decision not understand and said: " Paul has indeed outdated, but of a disability I have seen doing absolutely nothing. " For missed the German squadron, was highlighted in the Lord 's power, only about the victory and eventually finished second. At the last World Cup of the season put Dresdner on a new personal best over 1500 meters, which he ran in 2:16,818 minutes. In February and March, the national and international championships were on, Herrmann became German Vice Champion and first participated in a World Cup, in which he, however, was only the sixth season. He achieved the same result in the team 's World Cup a week later.

Optimistic, Paul Herrmann expressed before the 2007/ 08 season; his preparation had been optimal, it had not been hurt or was ill, so he could " top -fit in the season " start. As a target, he gave out the Top Ten in the World Cup, both on the individual distances as well as in the all around. On this requirement of Dresden did not come of age during the first World Cup stations in Asia, he missed some cases even the best twenty ranks. Only at the World Cups in Europe, he was at least in the relay again good results; in Heerenveen, he said after the semifinals, where he had come as the final runners from fourth to second forward, he was probably just run the best rounds of his career. At the beginning of 2008, Herrmann was used for the second time at a European Championship, in Ventspils it should work for him better than the year before: "A single digit place ( in the all around ) is the minimum goal, but of course I also fight to the achievement of the final run on the individual routes. "Even a squadron coin saw the trainer as required. In fact, Herrmann improved in the all around and reached the eleventh, after he had become fifth over 1500 meters. However, the German team was eliminated in the semis and did not defend as fifth-placed her last year's title. The rest of the World Cup went mediocre, the squadron did not qualify for the World Championships in Gangneung, where Herrmann for the first time participated as individual starters and nine- tenth.

Olympic Qualification (2008 to 2010)

As Tyson Heung, the most successful German Shorttracker at this time, Paul Herrmann had certainly already after the World Cup nomination again in the World Cup team. This changed in the summer of 2008 the trainer; to Markus Tröger followed the Canadian Éric Bédard, who sat especially on hard workouts. Bédard was particularly praised in the team, Herrmann said: " It not only demands, but the reasons for it whatsoever. His international experience as a player is worth gold, his knowledge as a coach on the latest international stand " The season opener at the World Cup in 2008/ 09 was good for the German team, Herrmann made ​​with an eighth rank in Vancouver over 1000 meters for the hitherto best result of the season. Shortly thereafter, he corrected himself this result, when he was at the same distance in Beijing seventh. In January 2009, the European Championships for the third Herrmann were on the program. He missed over 500 meters in the semifinals only because of a shrub coupler the finals. When he tried to overtake the Frenchman Thibaut Fauconnet, he lost his balance, fell and was disqualified for obstruction of subsequent runner also. The coach Bédard said: " Really a hard decision, but the referee saw it that way. " Even the Season semifinal was unlucky for the Dresden. During the race, his skating was damaged during a passing maneuver, he could not continue to run, so that the remaining rounds were contested only by his three teammates. This ceased to be a third party from the end. Herrmann was named after the competitions as " Unlucky Day ".

The last World Cup of winter found themselves held in Europe, including the final for the first time in Dresden. In the penultimate station in Sofia, the squadron reached the third place and thus the first podium result of the season. Before the home World Cup Herrmann said: " There is some pressure, but I believe that the motivation predominates. " In Dresden, again particularly convinced the season, which set a German record in the semifinals and in the finals was third again. Best individual result Herrmann, who described the home World Cup as the best race of his life, was a tenth rank over 1500 meters. After the World Cup finals, the Shorttracker completed nor the international championships. While Herrmann had to skip the national competitions because of an infection, he successfully went at the World Championships in Vienna at the start. In high quality occupied quarterfinals over 1500 meters, he left in fourth; the runners ahead of him qualified all three for the final. For the Dresden came with the German relay for the first time in World Cup history to qualify for the finals, where he spent a medal as a goal: " We are strong enough that we can achieve this on its own. " In the final, the Germans reached by a change problem finally the fourth and last place.

The Olympic Winter 2009/2010 began relatively early; the first World Cup were already mid-September on the plan. Decisive for the Olympic qualification were exclusively the third and the fourth station in North America. In the first two venues in Asia, Herrmann's performances differed greatly: While he initially in Beijing from its own perspective " simply too defensive, without risk " ran, he joined aggressive, offensive, and self-confident in Seoul. As the best individual result he achieved a 13th place over 1000 meters, with the season he placed himself in position six. At the World Cup in Montreal, Canada, the first opportunity to qualify for the Olympics, Herrmann managed not yet the necessary results and was therefore unhappy with his performance. In Marquette, he reached over 1500 meters semi-final, which simultaneously meant the fulfillment of the output from the DOSB Olympic standard. Also the season after qualifying, they reached the finals and finished fourth there. Thus, a total of six German fulfilled Shorttracker - five men - the Olympic standard; officially nominated them were from DOSB on 18 December 2009.

Prior to the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver, the European Championships were held in Dresden. For the first time in a major international event Herrmann failed to qualify for the final run; about 1500 meters he finished fourth and missed a medal just barely. In the final round, he withdrew an overtaking maneuver against Dutchman Niels Kerstholt to not risk disqualification. In retrospect, he was annoyed about this tactical mistake: "I should better go by outside, I think I would still be passed. Strength I had enough " Even with the season he reached the finals, where she won the silver medal -. Claimed the gold medal three years before his second international precious metal.