Superman in the snow: Dominik Windisch enjoys the big show

When he walked to the start and finish area at 12.20:XNUMX p.m., he promptly attracted everyone's attention. Many of the fans, spectators and athletes present at the Grogg Alm in Martell already acknowledged his appearance with loud ovations. Even his fellow contestants applauded. Speaker Luis Mahlknecht gave him a veritable eulogy. It was now clear that here and now only Dominik Windisch deserves the big stage. Appropriately, he appeared in an eye-catching Superman costume.

The 32-year-old from Oberrasner traveled to the Vinschger side valley to compete in the last races of his career. He announced the end of his professional career almost two weeks ago. Now he went on another lap of honor in front of his home crowd. But Dominik Windisch wouldn't be Dominik Windisch if he hadn't once again demonstrated his full fighting spirit in his very last individual race, a mass start over 12,5 kilometers.

The veteran had to go into the penalty loop three times after the first shooting, but then he started an incredible comeback. “Of course the costume was a bit annoying. It pinched everywhere. However, I have already competed in races under more difficult conditions,” laughed Windisch after the race. The idea for the costume came about at the end of the World Cup in Oslo, “afterwards I went looking for a costume with our physiotherapist. Superman was the most extravagant. I sewed the logo with my initials myself,” says the Puster native.

Windisch leaves it open whether the Superman outfit gave him additional inspiration or whether it was the support of his well-represented fan club that helped him advance position after position. The fact is that in the end he was able to get another medal as third place. However, the result was irrelevant on this sunny spring day. “The best feeling was being welcomed like that and seeing so many friends at the finish line. That was the cherry on top of the whole thing,” enthuses Windisch. Relatives, friends, fans but also colleagues like Lukas Hofer, who had decided not to take part in the Italian Championships, traveled to Martell specifically to celebrate the likeable (ex-)biathlete again. “Of course there’s a celebration, we’ve already thought of a few details.” Dominik Windisch The new Italian champion David Zingerle, which surprisingly went gold, and second-placed Tommaso Giacomel may have forgiven Windisch for clearly stealing the show that day. At least they were also allowed to take part in the big goodbye party afterwards. “Of course there’s still a celebration today, we’ve already thought of a few niceties,” reveals Windisch with a wink. Among other things, members of his sports group organized a beer tasting.

But there shouldn't be too much celebration in Martell, after all Windisch has another appearance in the mixed relay on Sunday. “I don’t want to embarrass myself. I’ll give it full throttle again.” Typically Windisch.

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Superman in the snow: Dominik Windisch enjoys the big show

In the Martell Valley, Italy's best biathletes will be fighting again this weekend for the last medals of the season. But the focus is on someone for whom precious metal only has a statistical value: Dominik Windisch.

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