"It's finally starting," said the 35-year-old: "For me personally, it's a special highlight to be at the Paralympics after two Olympic Games. When we race, the track will be on fire - and it will be a battle for the medals like we've never seen before!"
Förstemann will start alongside the visually impaired Kai Kruse in the 4000 metre time trial on the track on the very first day of the competition on Wednesday. The duo are considered to have no chance in the battle for the medals, but their ambitions are greater in the 1000 metre time trial on Saturday. "In principle, you always go to a competition to win," said the Thuringian, who took part in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing and even won bronze in the team sprint in London in 2012: "We will give everything to set a personal best time for ourselves. Anything is always possible at the Paralympics. The fact is: we want to win a medal." The two have been working together since 2019 and won bronze at the 2020 World Championships.
This will be Kruse's third Paralympics. In 2012, he competed in rowing and took silver in the coxed four. In 2016, the Rostockian won bronze in the 1000-metre time trial, back then with Stefan Nimke as his guide. He had become Olympic champion in the team sprint in 2004.
© dpa-infocom, dpa:210824-99-946426/2
