Parallel bars world champion Lukas Dauser has had to abandon the Olympic qualification for gymnasts due to injury. The 31-year-old injured his right upper arm during his exercise on the rings in Rüsselsheim on Saturday. The Unterhaching native was immediately taken to the hospital in Mainz for an MRI scan to obtain a precise diagnosis.
It was initially unclear whether the planned Olympic start was in danger. Dauser is considered a gold hope for the games in Paris, which begin on July 26.
“I’m not feeling so well after Lukas’s injury,” said national coach Valeri Belenki. What happened on the rings is spinning around in his head. “You try to ask yourself questions, but you can’t find any answers. I spoke to him and he doesn’t understand how it could have happened.” He suspects that it is an injury to the long biceps tendon. After the examination, we will know more.
The nomination meeting for the Olympic Games is on Sunday morning. “Of course I also have a plan B, and then we have to discuss who will replace him if Lukas can’t make it,” said Belenki, adding: “It is of course bitter for us.”
Two weeks ago, Dauser won the all-around title at the German Championships in Frankfurt/Main. In the final Olympic qualification, the Olympic silver medallist on parallel bars was eliminated after just two apparatuses. On the floor, he received a score of 13.150, and his exercise on the pommel horse was rated 13.700. His special apparatus, parallel bars, would have been only the fifth of six apparatuses.
After Dauser’s injury, Timo Eder from Ludwigsburg won the elimination round. The 19-year-old came third in the German all-around championships with 82.675 points. The hope of being part of the Olympic team “is very high,” said Eder. Dauser’s training partner Nils Dunkel (Halle/Saale) came second with 82.275 points. Experienced Andreas Toba (Hannover) did not perform a floor exercise and came 13th with 69.725 points for only five apparatus.
