Water jump before the World Cup – Heimberg: “I want to qualify for the Olympics” – Sports

Swiss water jumper Michelle Heimberg has a successful European Championship behind her. Now you want to attack in the World Cup.

With the World Championships in Fukuoka, Japan, the highlight of the season will be in the skydiving program from Friday. It is the most important event before the upcoming Summer Olympics in Paris. In Japan, Switzerland is represented by four athletes. Fifth player Madeleine Cocos was injured in training on Wednesday. The obvious team leader: Michel Heimberg.

The 23-year-old can enter competitions with a good feeling. At the end of June, the European Championship was held in Poland – and Heimberg knew how to impress then. From the 3-meter board she took bronze, from the 1-meter board she even managed to celebrate as a European champion at the end.

“It was a very successful title fight with these two medals,” the water jumper revealed in an interview. SRF Satisfied. “The result proves that we are on the right track.” The only drawback: the 1m board is not part of the Paris 2024 Olympic program. Heimberg should have won the gold from the 3m board to qualify early.

No problem at all for the woman from Aargau: “From the start, we’ve focused on the Olympic Qualifying World Cup.” As the qualification hurdle is smaller at the World Championships, reaching the 3m final among the top twelve entitles them to start in Paris. For Heimberg, the goal of the World Cup is clear: “I want to get a share for Switzerland.”

But the competition in Fukuoka is tough. “The level is much higher than last year’s world championships,” Heimberg points out. “In the year leading up to the Olympics, many countries made progress again.” However, the goal of qualifying for the Olympics is unwavering.

But Heimberg does not want to imagine more. “A medal would be a very ambitious goal,” explains the 23-year-old. “There are a lot of good jumpers this year. China and the United States have always made a very strong team.”

But the Swiss do not have to look too closely at the competition. Because: the look is right, and the self-confidence is there. And with it the prerequisites for successful competitions by Michel Heimberg.