Last but not least: Iouri in the Slaughterhouse

SRF opens the celebrations with an interview with Podladtchikov's mother, who is understandably beside herself with joy. "Gaaanze Welt, thank you so much, we are happy!". SRF follows up and goes into detail: "How was the second run?" Ms. Podladtchikova gives the answer in as much detail as the unnecessary question deserves: "Yay! (...) That was very, very good!". That's very likeable.

Next program highlight: An interview with the beaten, fourth-placed snowboard superstar Shaun White. "Shaun White, this is the opposite of what happened four years ago... what do you think about it?" Surprisingly, White is not up to speed with SRF's statistics and asks perplexedly: "Uhh... what happened four years ago?" "You were first, Iouri was fourth..." "Ahh... I didn't know that".

Podladtchikov is still a long way off, there is still time to bridge the gap. SRF-Borer asks expert Gian Simmen whether the medals won by the young Japanese were foreseeable or whether this is "a new trend". Simmen explains that the Japanese have always been good, that was known. They have good support programs and have therefore always finished on the podium. So not a snow development country after all. The viewer learns together with SRF freestyle commentator Boreryou feel connected.

Good news: Podladtchikov is only a few boxes away. The Olympic champion discovers his TV colleagues at home and his face brightens. Simmen and Borer keep the audience entertained with slogans of perseverance.

The colleague from Ticino television gestures that it will be his turn first. The diplomatic SRF borer agrees immediately.

Minutes later: Gian Simmen makes eye contact with his colleague Iouri and greets him with a snowboard-typical "hang loose". Borer is visibly relieved: "Now he's spotted Gian!"

It can only be a matter of moments. To bridge the gap, Simmen grabs Japanese silver medalist Ayumu Hirano, who has just tried to sneak past. He is 15, 1 meter 45 tall and speaks no English. Ideal conditions for an SRF interview between friends. Good question: "You're second... how do you feel?" Contrary to all expectations, Hirano now goes into detail, delivering sentence after sentence in Japanese and threatening to disrupt the schedule. The interpreter summarizes briefly and concisely: Hirano has been training for this moment for a long time and is now looking forward to the rest of his career.

They have finally got rid of the Japanese and realize that Iouri is only one box away. "At the moment he's with the Chinese... then he'll come to us!" reassures Borer. In the meantime, he has forgotten about his colleague from Ticino.

Just one more question for Gian to bridge the gap. "When did you think Gian could become Olympic champion?" Borer is referring to Podladtchikov, of course, but the imminent arrival of the new gold medal hero has a noticeable effect on his concentration. "On February 12, 1998," counters the former Olympic champion Simmen confidently, until he is finally interrupted by the current title holder...

...and is greeted enthusiastically. The colleague from Ticino (2nd from left) greets us enthusiastically, but is not noticed for the time being.

It gradually dawns on his colleague from Ticino that the spontaneous bon vivant Podladtchikov doesn't really care about the media's order. With a stressed but determined gesture, he reminds SRF of the agreed order.

Arm in arm with Simmen, Podladtchikov then turns to Ticino television. Borer agrees and literally states: "We'll let the Ticino man ask two questions!" He returns the Swiss-German cordiality with an equally hearty laugh.

During the Italian-language introduction, Podladtchikov turns to Simmen, shrugging his shoulders and saying he doesn't understand the language. Fortunately, his colleague from Ticino suddenly switches from Italian to German. "A dream... after fourth place in Vancouver... your feelings?" "...ahhhh... incredibile!... that's all... need I say more?" He has to. So he adds in Swiss German: "I imagined that dä Gian comments when I throw!" His colleague from Ticino probably wouldn't have understood that either if he had been able to speak Swiss German. Podladtchikov answers the next question by saying that he had a 1:1 chance of standing his Yolo flip because he only tried one.

His colleague from Ticino dares to ask one last question and wants to know whether it's not special to become an Olympic champion in Russia as a Russian-born Swiss national. Somewhat taken aback, Podladtchikov turns to Simmen: "I've already answered that before... actually...". He means at a TV station earlier in the interview marathon. Media pro Simmen intervenes to mediate and tries to encourage his colleague to answer: "You've been training for this for three years now, haven't you?" To no avail. Podladtchikov explains to his colleague from Ticino: "Yes, I can't...uhhh...sorry!" and adds apologetically to Simmen: "I didn't understand anything."

SRF's time has finally come. Borer intervenes in the interview chaos and provides the explanation for Podladtchikov's jamming himself: "The emotions are probably still too high, you don't really know how to answer the questions yet..." Podladtchikov does answer - in a refreshingly untypical way for otherwise standardized athlete interviews: "No, but I don't like repeating myself. I like to tell people something new, but now I don't have anything new."

Borer corrects him that he does have something new, namely a gold medal, and wants to know - the audience is grateful - what it was like when his parents came to congratulate him. "Uh... my father was 'uhuerä betrunkä, I was immediately worried... especially my uncle... he was in tears..." Refreshing!

Last act: The grim-faced press woman pushes Podladtchikov to the next box. As she doesn't look like she's to be trifled with, the newly crowned title holder complies with her request without resistance. Hopefully Iouri Podladtchikov will soon be an Olympic champion again.

Thomas Häusermann

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