If the German Rowing Association (DRV) had to formulate a formula for success at the Olympic Games in Paris, Oliver Zeidler would provide all the necessary factors. The calculation begins with the rowing tradition in the 27-year-old’s family: grandfather Hans-Johann Färber won Olympic gold in the coxed four in 1972, uncle Matthias Ungemach became world champion in the eight in 1990 and in the coxed four in 1991, while aunt Judith Zeidler was crowned Olympic champion in the GDR eight in 1988. Then you add constants such as Oliver Zeidler’s exceptional physique (2.03 meters tall and 105 kilograms heavy), his iron work ethic, his own excellent CV in the single (three World Championship and European Championship golds each) and the result is: a guaranteed medal for the Summer Games – or is it?

As attractive and certain as the formulas for success may seem on paper, there are many unknowns in practice. Zeidler has yet to crown his career with an Olympic medal. His status as the long-standing leader in the single sculls is undisputed. However, that was already the case at the Summer Games in Tokyo, where he was considered the clear favorite to win and then surprisingly failed in the semifinals, finishing fourth. “I am very disappointed, especially after the season has been so successful so far. The defeat is really bothering me,” said Zeidler at the time after his early exit.

His coach, father Heino Zeidler, who used to be a competitive rower himself, also spoke of a heavy blow for his son and protégé: “For him, a dream is shattered, so the disappointment is of course very great.” But that’s not all: The next bitter disappointment followed in 2022, when Zeidler missed the podium with fourth place at the European Championships in Munich in front of the home crowd, spoiled by success.

Something in the formula that brought Zeidler to the top must have slipped, something had to change. It was not just about the physical aspect: Zeidler says he devotes everything to sport for 47 weeks of the year. There is hardly a complete standstill for this exceptional athlete. When regular training is over, the “active recovery unit with running, swimming, cycling” begins.

His technique and endurance are so convincing that Sabine Tschäge is also enthusiastic: “Oli is the exceptional talent that everyone wants to have as a coach,” says the national coach of the German eight to the FAZ. “If you were to define a rowing athlete, you would say: Yes, it’s Oli!” But what Zeidler has been working on in recent years with the help of psychologist Annelen Collatz, especially with a view to Paris, is above all mental strength.

Emerging stronger

In the mental trainer’s podcast “Finde den Kern”, Zeidler says that it was easier for him to reach the top of the world than to constantly defend it. “Then you’re suddenly the hunted one,” he says. “And then the fall is a little higher than if you just keep climbing up the stairs, and people from the outside are just amazed and say: Yes, wow, he’s simply unstoppable.”

Under Collatz’s guidance, Zeidler learned to deal with the pressure better and to put the negative experiences of the past into a more positive context. Zeidler is now even grateful for the lessons he learned from Tokyo and is aware that he ultimately emerged stronger for the races that followed. READ FULL STORY HERE>>>CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING>>>

“We had come up with different methods about what I should think about at the start, for example, when I was very nervous and when I was afraid of not making the right start,” says Zeidler in his mentor’s podcast. “I have to say that it really helped me. Even if you feel a bit stupid at first when you’re sitting at the front of the start line and saying: ‘I’m in love, I’m in love, I’m in love’, it worked.”

The equation worked. Zeidler was back at the top: in 2022 in the Czech Republic and a year later in Serbia, he won the World Championships, and he also won gold at the European Championships in Hungary this year. Only at the Rowing World Cup in Lucerne did he suffer an unusual setback with second place and his first defeat in a year. This does not diminish his confidence in success in Paris. Zeidler’s declared goal is still an Olympic medal.

However, he says he has hardly felt any stress or pressure so far. The only thing that still raises some concerns is the question of whether the transport links in the Olympic Village will work smoothly during the games. As far as the competitions are concerned, he is not worried – at least until he reaches the semi-finals. Then things will get serious for him. “I have also drawn my conclusions from Tokyo about what I definitely want to do better,” says Zeidler. “That also means isolating yourself a bit more. That also means significantly reducing social media.”

Maintaining a routine in the Olympic Village is particularly important. Getting up early, even if there are no races scheduled, eating at the same times, not getting distracted by the glitz and hustle and bustle surrounding the games. Overall, the successful rower sees himself as a more mature and better athlete than he was at the last Summer Games in Tokyo.

The Oliver Zeidler formula has now been optimized to version 2.0 – at least in theory. Whether this will lead to great success in practice will be put to the test in the coming days.

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