Ski jumping-German Raimund skips giant hill event as fear of heights resurfaces
The 24-year-old explained in a social media post that while he manages his fear in the vast majority of his jumps, the 240-metre hill in Slovenia presents too great a risk.
Unlike regular ski jumping, ski flying takes place on larger hills, resulting in higher speeds and longer flight times. This enables athletes to achieve greater distances, but also introduces a higher level of risk.
"...usually isn't a problem while skijumping, but from time to time, I have the issue (mainly while ski flying) that my body is reacting without me controlling it," he said in a post on Thursday.
"I'm not taking the risk of it happening, when I don't know if I'm still the pilot, or if I can't react at all."
The ski flying hill at the Planica Nordic Skiing Complex, near the Italian and Austrian border, has been dubbed the 'Monster Hill' due to its hill size of 240 metres.
Raimund added he could return on Sunday if his confidence improves.
"If not, then it is what it is. But I won't fly if I don't feel ready and happy to do so," he said.
The event in Planica culminates the elite ski jumping season. Raimund is 22nd in the overall World Cup standings.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scottish Sun
24 minutes ago
- Scottish Sun
It's easy to forget just how good Dele Alli was – unfortunately other talented stars could soon follow his sad decline
Alli is another name in a list of similar career trajectories in modern football DELE-CATE SITUATION It's easy to forget just how good Dele Alli was – unfortunately other talented stars could soon follow his sad decline Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) NEWS that Dele Alli's career as an elite footballer may be over comes as no great surprise but with genuine sadness. And ever since Dele revealed the full extent of his traumatic childhood, in an interview with Gary Neville, there should only ever be empathy and understanding about the way his career has nosedived. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 5 Dele Alli has experienced a difficult career since breaking through with Tottenham Hotspur as a youngster in 2015 Credit: Getty 5 Alli was just a teenager when he took his first steps in the Premier League Credit: Getty - Contributor Yet Dele's career trajectory — five outstanding seasons, followed by a long descent — is not unusual and will become more commonplace. Because elite modern football is no country for either free spirits or troubled souls. Dele is adamant he wants to continue his career having been banished from the squad at Italian club Como after one Serie A appearance — a nine-minute cameo as a sub in March which ended in a red card. But at the age of 29 — and six years after the last of his 37 England caps — Dele is surely finished at the top level. An increasing number of players burn brightly for a short period of time before they either implode or suffer serious downturns. From Dele's generation of England players alone, Marcus Rashford, Jack Grealish, Raheem Sterling, Jesse Lingard, Ross Barkley, Jadon Sancho and Harry Winks were all regular internationals who, for various reasons, have struggled to last the course. The intensity of the modern game, with its demand for extreme athleticism and utter mental dedication, means that those like Harry Kane, who play at the top for ten or 15 years, are going to become the exception rather than the rule. Add in the increasingly congested fixture list for leading players — the nonsense of the Club World Cup only adding to it — and many will break down physically as well as psychologically. 5 Alli was red-carded almost immediately in his one Serie A appearance for Como Credit: Getty It is easy to forget quite how good a player Dele was. Not many players score 18 goals in a Premier League season from midfield, reach a World Cup semi-final and a Champions League final by the age of 23, win the PFA Young Player of the Year award as well as Match of the Day's Goal of the Season. Dele Alli hailed for opening up on mental health battles as Everton star joins Monday Night Football panel In that Neville interview, in 2023, Dele revealed he had been sexually abused as a six-year-old and was dealing drugs by the age of eight. He is estranged from both of his birth parents and was adopted by a school friend's family as a teenager and has more recently been in rehab to tackle addictions. During his early years at Tottenham, Dele was well looked-after by a supportive and tight-knit dressing room under the guidance of Mauricio Pochettino. Those Spurs team-mates were hugely fond of Dele — regarded as a likeable but wayward kid rather than a bad egg. They knew many of his issues and there were many positive influences on him, especially Eric Dier. Dele's career trajectory — five outstanding seasons, followed by a long descent — is not unusual and will become more commonplace. Elite modern football is no country for either free spirits or troubled souls. Yet since Pochettino's sacking in November 2019, Dele's career has been in a downward spiral from Jose Mourinho to Everton to Besiktas to Como — and a serious renaissance now seems highly unlikely. Other elite players who have crashed and burned may also have suffered extreme personal circumstances. Others are simply not built with the one-track mind now essential to a lasting career at the top. Up until the 1990s, it was perfectly possible for elite footballers to enjoy sex and drugs and rock-and-roll lifestyles and still enjoy sustained success. Now that levels of athleticism have increased, players' lifestyles are monitored so stringently by their clubs and their chances of a sly night out are wrecked by the advent of camera phones and social media, free-spirited players like Grealish will struggle. 5 Alli spent an ill-fated stint with Everton in an attempt to revive his Premier League career Credit: PA 5 Alli managed 37 senior international caps for England, but there is little hope of him adding to that tally now Credit: Getty Nothing can be done about this trend. The internet won't be uninvented and ultra-professionalism will never go into reverse. In an ideal world, every top footballer would have the mindset and stable background of Kane. In theory, they should all be able to live like monks for 15 years and enjoy their multi-million-pound rewards once they hang up their boots. Which is all well and good until you factor in the fact they are fallible human beings, often from tough backgrounds, who are subjected to huge temptations. Being a professional footballer in the 21st century is far more lucrative, but far less fun, than it was in the 20th. Addictions suffered by elite footballers are now less likely to be booze and recreational drugs but online gambling, gaming, porn as well as sleeping pills — secretive, lonely ways to alleviate pressures and problems. Nobody is playing violins for these young multi-millionaires. But, in its move towards extreme professionalism and 365-days-a-year seasons, football will lose more wonderful players like Dele.
Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Daily Mirror
Eberechi Eze and Marc Guehi make transfer decisions amid Arsenal and Liverpool interest
FA Cup holders Crystal Palace have plenty of interests in a couple of their stars ahead of the new season but it appears that the Eagles could actually end up keeping them Eberechi Eze and Marc Guehi have not ruled out staying at Crystal Palace despite interest from Arsenal and Liverpool. The Eagles pair were expected to be on the move this summer after the club lifted the FA Cup last season. Arsenal were eyeing the England winger as a potential wide recruit despite the signing of Noni Madueke from Chelsea. Meanwhile, Liverpool put Guehi on their shortlist as a potential replacement for Jarell Quansah - who completed a £35m move to German side Bayer Leverkusen earlier this summer. Despite the pair having suitors, it is not guaranteed that they depart. According to The Sun, Palace have not received any firm offers for either Eze or Guehi and they are in no rush to cash in on either. Guehi has just a year remaining on his contract at Selhurst Park and it looks more likely that he could leave for free in just 12 months' time. And should he do that, it could potentially open the door to moves to Spanish giants Barcelona and Real Madrid. In the meantime, Eze could also remain in South London despite Arsenal's interest. The wide man is interested in a move to the Emirates but the Gunners are not yet prepared to activate his £68m release clause, which could see them move onto alternative targets. Fresh developments over Eze and Guehi's stances are at odds with chairman Steve Parish's approach last summer after he claimed he was shocked that Eze remained. He also underlined his willingness to do business with the Premier League 's big hitters. "I was really worried from a club point of view of losing Michael and Ebbs in the same window and we didn't have in Ebbs the interest that I thought we would have," Parish told Sky Sports News. "I was astounded. Genuinely astounded. I mean, the guy's just an outstanding footballer, an outstanding person.' He added: 'We want to be selling to the top clubs, or to clubs like Newcastle who've got great aspirations and have recently been in the Champions League. "So we have to manage all of those things. We won't get really great young talent to come to us if they think they're going to be stuck." "We want to be playing in the Champions League,' Parish said. 'The reality is we don't right now. That's what players want to achieve in their career and we respect that and we respect the fact that sometimes we're going to be a pathway to that." Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Daily Mirror
Liverpool new boys impress before Cody Gakpo steals the show vs Bilbao
LIVERPOOL 3-2 ATHLETIC BILBAO: Cody Gakpo scored twice at the right end and once at the wrong one as Liverpool ran out winners over Athletic Bilbao in their second match of the night You couldn't keep Cody Gakpo out of the action as Liverpool won their second of two friendlies on the same evening against Athletic Bilbao. After a second string side, inspired by teenager Rio Ngumoha, had won the opening friendly of the night 4-1, Gakpo scored twice at the right end and once at the wrong one in an eventful 15 minute period in the second half. Earlier Mo Salah had given the Reds the lead after being teed up by Hugo Ekitike, before Oihan Sancet levelled. In the second period Gakpo pounced after Unai Simon spilled a Ryan Gravenberch effort, and after he inadvertently headed Maroan Sannadi's effort into his own net, the Dutchman fired through Simon's grasp for what proved to be the winner, although there was still time for Salah to miss a penalty. Here are the game's main talking points. 1. You can't take your eyes off Florian Wirtz There are some players who just move differently, and Florian Wirtz is one of them. The German is obviously going to become a focal point of the way Liverpool attack, and with one swivel of the hips in the opening exchanges he seemed to fool half of the crowd as well as the Athletic defenders. Playing with his socks rolled down, there is a old school look and feel about him, but amid the excitement over the possible move for Alexander Isak it shouldn't be forgotten that the Reds have already secured one of world football's premier attackers this summer. He twice came close to scoring early on, and he promises to be a lot of fun. 2. Hugo Ekitike makes his mark... and Mo Salah will be impressed If there is one thing that you can do to endear yourself to the Anfield crowd it is give your all. If there is one thing you can do to endear yourself to Mo Salah it is give him an assist. Hugo Ekitike managed to do both of those things in opening 15 minutes here, impressing supporters with his strength and energy and then demonstrating both as he teed up Salah for the opener. He might still end up being a work in progress, but the raw materials are clearly there for him to make an immediate Premier League impact. 3. The defensive question isn't going away With Virgil van Dijk sitting both friendlies out with illness, and given there's still no sight of Joe Gomez, Ibrahima Konate was the last recognised central defender standing across the 180 minutes. Andy Robertson and Trey Nyoni had done the job in the first game and Wataru Endo was stationed alongside Konate for the second, but Arne Slot would not to be starting a meaningful game with any of those players at centre-back, and so a new addition in the role is crucial. The Reds did not cover themselves in glory for either Athletic goal, particularly the second, and concerns are sure to be raised. Sporting director Richard Hughes, seen watching on in Anfield's Main Stand, has some big business to do in the next month. 4. Dominik Szoboszlai and Cody Gakpo are set for big seasons Some players kick on after lifting major honours and take their games up a gear, and that could well end up being the case for Dominik Szoboszlai and Cody Gakpo. The arrival of Wirtz had led many to claim that the Hungarian would be the man to miss out in the Liverpool midfield, but his versatility means he could actually end up playing more matches. Stationed in a deeper role, he was aggressive and always looking to put Liverpool on the front foot, with one particular piece of skill bringing the crowd to its feet. Gakpo, too, dominated the left hand side of the attack and was a constant menace, scoring two goals - either side of his own goal - and looking like he's enjoying the knowledge that he'll be the first pick on the left with Luis Diaz gone. 5. Anfield pauses to remember Diogo Jota This was, of course, Liverpool's first match match at Anfield since the tragic passing of Diogo Jota last month, and the Portuguese was on the minds of many both before and during both friendlies. The most touching tributes came in the 20th minute of both, when the action stopped and both sets of players led the crowd in an ovation for the Portuguese as Jota's chant boomed all around Anfield. Reds defender Kostas Tsimikas was also sporting a new tattoo he's had done in honour of Jota in the first match, reading 'Wish you were here' with the No.20. Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
