Our 12-strong Team Lëtzebuerg has athletes competing in athletics, cycling, swimming, equestrianism, table tennis, triathlon and archery. (sixth of twelve)
FYI: The so-called “cadre élite” comprises those athletes who have both participated in a certain number of high-level competitions and either achieved, or been close to achieving, the specific standard set to enter the “high performance” category of their sport (distinguished from “mass sport” or “recreational sport”).
The “cadre promotion” includes athletes who have not yet made the “elite” category but have a realistic chance of doing so within the first 6 years upon admission. This is not achieved by meeting specific criteria, but by their general performance as well as participation in high performance international competitions (within respective age categories and 5th and 6th years of performance).
TRIATHLON
Stefan Zachäus is the only Luxembourgish triathlete to compete in the Olympics. Having first joined the elite category in 2016-2017, he returned in 2019 and now gets to represent the Grand Duchy in Tokyo.
Amongst all the trials and tribulations, it was the prolonged qualification process that proved the hardest for Zachäus. Nevertheless the athlete proved victorious: “The most challenging part, for me, was to get the spot for Luxembourg. It was a really long qualification process that, because of covid, spanned the last 3 years.”
Of the actual Games, Zachäus still hopes for a general sense of normality: “I hope it won’t be too different. I hope the Games will allow us to take a step back towards normalcy, but I know that will be difficult under the circumstances.[…] I just want to be at the forefront of the action, to prove that we can keep up with the big leagues, which we’ve already done in the last couple of races. We’ll show we are an active part of the races, leading in swimming and cycling. Then I just want run the best race of my life. That’s what we’re preparing for, that’s why we’re here.”
Aside from a gruelling 7/7 training programme – both in normal and in specifically acclimatising conditions and training rooms, simulating hotter temperatures – Zachäus’ specific success rituals remain spartan: “I don’t really have any specific rituals. I like a good coffee, which I’ll drink before the race – to awaken the spirit a little! – we start at 07:30 so I will need a lot of coffee…”
“It’s been a childhood dream to participate in the Olympics. To be able to represent “The Red Lion” makes the experience even better, and I’m looking forward to finally being at the start line.”
