Germany’s Francesco Friedrich takes part in the two-man bobsleigh training at the Yanqing National Sliding Centre, February 12, 2022. — AFP pic
YANQING, Feb 14 — Francesco Friedrich was on course to retain his two-man bobsleigh Olympic title and add to his impressive collection of victories this winter as the German took a slender overnight lead after today’s heats.
Friedrich set a new course record in the opening heat on his way to clocking a fastest combined time of 1min 58.38sec for today’s two heats in Yanqing, north of Beijing.
However, his overnight lead is just 0.15sec after German team-mate Johannes Lochner was fastest on the second run.
Friedrich remains the favourite having won 14 of his 16 World Cup races this winter.
“He (Friedrich) wins everything, right? So obviously people would consider him the one to beat,” Canadian pilot Justin Krips, who sits tenth, said in training.
The 35-year-old shared two-man gold with Friedrich at the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics after both clocked exactly the same time.
“I think they also considered him the one to beat going into 2018, and he’s even more dominant now,” added Krips.
Friedrich is seeking to defend his two and four-man titles from four years ago.
If he takes two-man gold in tomorrow’s final heats, it will mean German racers have won seven of the eight events at the Yanqing National Sliding Centre. — AFP