German jumping sensation Freund plays down expectations (News Feature)

By Eric Dobias Jan 31, 2011, 10:30 GMT

Frankfurt - German ski-jumping fans are dreaming of a first world title in a decade but the man supposed to provide it, Severin Freund, is keeping his feet firmly on the ground.

Freund said there is no reason to make predictions for the worlds in Oslo which start in late February, even though he came out of nowhere this season and got his first two World Cup victories in the past fortnight.

'A ticket to the worlds was my aim before the season. I want to perform at my best, but no one knows what that will lead to. You will see in Oslo what is possible,' Freund said.

Freund, 22, is the first winning German jumper since Martin Schmitt and Sven Hannawald, who ruled the sport in the past. Hannawald has long retired, while Schmitt is still around but not at the top.

Freund claimed his first career victory in mid-January in Sapporo and also came second there in the other competition. The following weekend he was third in Zakopane before getting a second top spot on Sunday in front of a home crowd in Willingen.

Freund said his aim is to jump well consistently, with the results then also depending on the others such as four-times Olympic champion Simon Ammann of Switzerland and Austrian World Cup leader Thomas Morgenstern.

'I will definitely not go to the hill on Wednesday saying that I have to win. There are many factors,' he said, looking ahead at the next World Cup meet in Klingenthal.

Coach Werner Schuster is also not getting carried away by Freund's results.

'Of course Severin is among the favourites because he is jumping at the highest level. He can upset the people who rank ahead of him in the World Cup. But there is no reason for euphoria,' said Schuster.

The situation is unfamiliar for Schuster, who now has to play down the expectations after in the past having to lift his team after yet another disappointment.

Schuster believes that Freund's good results can be a boost for the team ahead of the Holmenkollen championships, for which Freund, Michael Uhrmann and Michael Neumayer are so far qualified.

'It is important for the entire team to see that top performances are possible with our set-up and our know-how. Severin has taken two steps. We will now work that another athlete makes a step forward until the worlds,' said Schuster.

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