Frenzel in Olympic quarantine: "It was a big shock"

Combined athlete Eric Frenzel has not yet fully digested the positive corona test even after two days in quarantine.

"I've done everything I can to avoid contracting this virus for two years.

Now I'm going to the Olympics and I'm positive at this very moment.

It was a big shock," said the three-time Olympic champion in a video message from the isolation hotel to Eurosport.

After an intervention by the German Olympic Sports Confederation, Frenzel was at least allowed to move to a better hotel after the first accommodation had turned out to be extremely cramped.

“Fortunately, I have everything I need.

I have opportunities to do sports and the food is okay.

I have to be patient now, fortunately the Covid values ​​are also going in the right direction.

So I hope to get out of here soon,” says the 33-year-old.

Team doctor Stefan Pecher ruled out Frenzel's start on Wednesday in the first Olympic decision.

Frenzel still has hopes for the second week.

“I want to stay positive and strong mentally, keep fit and stay tuned to take the opportunity if it does come my way.

Then I want to step on the gas so that I can hopefully leave here with a positive feeling,” he says.

National coach Hermann Weinbuch assured Frenzel as well as Terence Weber, who also tested positive, of support.

"The whole team is trying to keep them both in good spirits.

I just got off the phone with them during practice.

They noticed everything," he said on Sunday.

"It's like a bad movie"

Weinbuch welcomed the change of accommodation. "He's got a good room now, thank God. That's important, because it gets on your mind, and then you're mentally exhausted when you come out." Team manager Horst Hüttel said about the circumstances in the quarantine hotel: "So far it's okay, absolutely. The catering is good. We have spinning bikes.” This would keep Frenzel and Terence Weber, who is also in isolation, fit.

Substitute Manuel Faißt made the trip to Beijing on Sunday to be able to step in if the worst came to the worst.

However, the rule still applies that Faißt would replace either Frenzel or Weber for the full games.

"I have little hope that I can replace Manuel and again.

If nothing changes, we will only start with three men on Wednesday,” said Weinbuch.

The 33-year-old Frenzel tested positive for the virus after arriving in China.

He and his family had taken strict measures in advance.

“My wife has endured a great deal of deprivation.

We all went into isolation, we took the children out of kindergarten and the older ones out of school.

Now it's doubly annoying that all the effort isn't rewarded and you even got one better," said Frenzel.

But he "probably" got infected at the Nordic combined in Seefeld.

"I was moving in an area that we all hoped would be safe," said the record world champion.

The positive corona tests of his combined teammates Frenzel and Weber also emotionally affected double Olympic champion Johannes Rydzek.

"It's not an easy situation," said the 30-year-old on Sunday in Zhangjiakou.

"It's like a bad movie somewhere.

We're thinking of them and we hope they'll get better soon," Rydzek said.

He had already been in contact with both of them, said the man from Oberstdorf, but also referred to internet problems.

Rydzek won individual gold on the large hill and in the team at the 2018 Winter Games in Pyeongchang.

At that time, Frenzel had won gold with the team and in the individual event on the normal hill.

He also secured bronze on the large hill.