Two of Germany’s most promising young triathletes have suffered injury setbacks in quick succession.
Simon Henseleit raced at the Paris Olympic Test Event, finishing 47th. A strong swim and bike combination had put him in contention, however foot pain undermined his run. The night before the race, Henseleit had hit his foot which resulted in the issue. After the event, though, it turned out that he had broken his toe.
Coming into the race, Henseleit had also been battling a stress reaction in his fibula in the wake of his personal best WTCS finish of 14th in Hamburg. With his broken toe confirmed, his next races may be somewhat uncertain.
Meanwhile, Jule Behrens was hit by a car during a training camp in Livigno earlier in the week. She was flown to hospital in Bergamo and has since been transported to Frankfurt for surgery.
Behrens’ teammate, Laura Lindemann, passed on her well wishes shortly after anchoring the German Mixed Team Relay to victory in Paris.
At this time, the exact nature of Behrens injuries are unknown. All observers will hope that they are not too severe and that she will be able to move past it soon. Still, her accident is an unwelcome reminder of the dangers cycling on roads can pose.
On a sporting front, the absences of Henseleit and Behrens will likely see them miss the upcoming World U23 Championships in Pontevedra.
Henseleit had won European Cups in Rzeszów and Wels earlier in the summer. Behrens, the former World Junior and European Junior champion, won a silver medal in Wels and followed it up with a 6th place finish at the European Games.
Both are rising talents among the German squad and could have targeted high finishes in Pontevedra. In the meantime, recovery will be the order of the day for Henseleit’s toe and thoughts will be with Behrens as she undergoes surgery.
