Tom Krause will be competing in the Nordic Combined discipline at the 28th Universiade in Almaty from January 29.
Now it's time to keep your fingers crossed: right at the start of the new year, a student from Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences will be competing against international rivals at the 28th Universiade in Almaty. We are talking about Tom Krause, who is studying industrial engineering at the university. He will be competing from January 29 to February 8, 2017 in Almaty (Kazakhstan) in the "Nordic Combined " discipline, which consists of cross-country skiing and ski jumping. As a long-time student at the Klingenthal Sports Boarding School, he is well prepared for these World Student Games.
Kevin Mühlan met Tom Krause for an interview:
You are competing in the Nordic combined at the 28th Universiade in Almaty. How did this come about?
I had been at the sports boarding school in Klingenthal since I was 12 and a long-time companion and training partner told me about it. I thought it would be great and applied. I then had to take part in the so-called "German Cup" to qualify. I managed to do that and so I can now fly to Almaty (Kazakhstan).
How long have you been doing this sport?
I have been involved in winter sports since I was 3 years old. As my mother and father were very active in the Kottmar e.V. ski club, I quickly got into winter sports and have stuck with it ever since.
How can you combine studying and competitive sport?
As I see this sport as a performance-oriented hobby, it's easy to reconcile the two. I had less free time at the sports boarding school in Klingenthal, as there was a lot of training there.
How do you rate your chances in Almaty at the Universiade?
I am of course realistic and know that it will be a difficult task to achieve one of the top places. But as an athlete, I am ambitious enough not to finish last.
What are your sporting plans for the future?
I have decided for myself that I don't want to pursue a sporting career. You are always bound to perform and at some point this naturally stops. That's why I want to create a foundation for my career with my studies at Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences.
How did you come to Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences?
I come from the region and was in Klingenthal from the age of 12. So I decided to complete my degree in industrial engineering in my home region.
When you are in Almaty, the other students in your year are sitting exams at the university. Does this put you at a disadvantage?
No, of course not. The fact that the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences makes it possible to withdraw from examinations and take them in the revision period after the semester break means that I don't have any disadvantages.