Sigi's tips | A sporty dream trio

Julia Kink (biathlon), Oliver Bearman (motorsport), Alexander Pavlovic (football). And no, I didn't put these three names here on a whim. This trio is connected by an invisible bond. Let's first come to the first thing we have in common. All three are athletes and are promising young talent in their profession. All three are still young, very young in fact. The Brit Bearman is 18 years old and is already allowed to drive a car, even in Formula 1, about which I will add a few more sentences. Then, in terms of age, comes Alexander Pavlovic (19), the FC Bayern Munich professional.

And finally, 20-year-old Julia Kink, who competed for the German team at the World Cup in Soldier Hollow (USA). The little story of these talents is linked to the always somehow current sentence that one person's suffering is or can be another person's joy, although it is probably the case that one is not happy when a team member is doing poorly or is not particularly good.

The first fast laps in the Ferrari This is what happened at Bearman: Carlos Sainz was unable to get into the cockpit of his Ferrari in Jeddah because of appendicitis. The good advice wasn't even expensive. The young Brit, trained at the Ferrari Driver Academy, took his place and raced to a much-noticed, even sensational seventh place in Saudi Arabia. Of course, he was quickly voted “Driver of the Race”, which Max Verstappen, who else, won. Bearman, who otherwise does his laps in Formula 2, was unable to complete either the first or second training session.

Oliver Bearman scored straight into the points on his Forme 1 debut. © APA/afp / JOSEPH EID

And in the end he actually kept Lewis Hamilton in check in his Mercedes snail with courageous driving style. Of all people, Hamilton is moving to Maranello next year. The two cockpits at Ferrari have already been taken for the long term, so the Brit's spectacular appearance will not have a happy ending. At least not at Ferrari. But other teams have long had their eye on him. His future is likely to be secure, something that an inflamed appendix in a colleague played a major role in.

The star from our own ranks That's how they often are, the winding paths of a career. If Thomas Tuchel, the part-time coach of FC Bayern Munich, hadn't lost his right-backs due to numerous injuries over the course of the season, Joshua Kimmich would probably never have returned to his old position, which of course wasn't necessarily what he wanted. In return, Tuchel, quite surprisingly, placed the 19-year-old Alexander Pavlovic in the six position that Kimmich had previously occupied. Tuchel landed a lucky break. For the club and for Pavlovic.

Alexander Pavlovic knew how to convince. © ANSA / RONALD WITTEK

Born in Munich (his parents are from Serbia), he has been playing for FC Bayern since his childhood and impressed straight away. He now even scores goals from the position that Tuchel always wanted to fill with an international star player. Now it has become one of our own stable. Out of necessity. If the season went as normal, Pavlovic would probably still be sitting on the bench, but at least he would already have a professional contract until 2027. It also applies to him that the suffering of others could be his joy. Pavlovic is now even on the list of national coach Julian Nagelsmann and has been voted “Player of the Month” by the Munich fans.

From the IBU Cup to the World Cup podium Meanwhile, in the distant USA, Julia Kink from Chiemgau (WSV Aschau) suddenly and completely unexpectedly received a big appearance. Sophia Schneider had a cold. She was scheduled to be the final runner in the last biathlon relay this season. Kink, who had recommended herself through good performances in the IBU Cup (like Formula 2 in motorsport), impressed already on her debut in the sprint, where she confidently qualified for the pursuer with a 42nd place (she even improved there by four places). Nothing came of the planned rest day afterwards.

Kink had to step in for Schneider without further ado. As a final runner. Suddenly, with a lot of responsibility on her narrow shoulders, she ran behind her role model Ingrid Landmark Tandrevold for the last three laps and stood next to the Norwegian on the shooting range twice. She didn't let herself be deterred, even attacked on the cross-country ski trail and secured the German team's best relay result of the winter with second place. That could also have been the start of a remarkable career, because Kink, who was the first non-Norwegian to graduate from high school in Lillehammer, is quick on track and also has strong nerves. By the way, the average age of the German quartet was 23 years. Thanks to Selina Grotian (19) and Julia Kink, it was by far the youngest team in Soldier Hollow.

Opportunity seized Three examples that make it clear that in life you should always stay wide awake, regardless of whether you do sports or have to face everyday professional life. You never know when the door will open to take the next step in your career. Julia Kink, “Olli” Bearman and Alexander Pavlovic definitely took advantage of their chances. I'm excited about their further development. And I promise: I'll stick with it.

About the author: Sigi Heinrich The award-winning sports journalist (including winner of the German Television Prize and the Bavarian Sports Prize), book author and Eurosport commentator from the very beginning (since 1989) dedicates his column “Sigi's Peaks” to the entire diversity of sport and also likes to poach in foreign ones areas. Sometimes with a smile and a wink, sometimes serious and thoughtful or deliberately provocative. There should be something for everyone.

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Sigi's tips | A sporty dream trio

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