Oberhof (pps) After she claimed her first season victory - simultaneously defeating rival and teammate Natalie Geisenberger who had to digest her first setback of the season – Germany’s Tatjana Huefner closely studied the result sheets. “Well, a winning margin of 16 thousandths of a second – that’s not such a close call after all,” the Olympic and four-time World Champion joked with a smile.

Huefner is back on course – this is the message of the World Cup in Oberhof, seventh of the nine stops of the Viessmann Luge World Cup series in the Olympic winter. Just four weeks prior to the Opening Ceremony of the Winter Games in Sochi (Russia) on February 7, 2014, the 30-year-old athlete from Thuringia celebrated an impressive “comeback”. Claiming her 33rd individual victory Huefner is on course to be counted among the top favorites for the Olympic gold medal. “The Olympic Games have their own laws – everything will be reshuffled,” she said.

Two months ago, her third start at the Olympic Games even seemed unthinkable. Her back problems prevented organized training and even stopped her from competing in the national qualifying races. But Germany’s head coach Norbert Loch continued to believe in her and kept an Olympic starting place for Huefner. She paid him back with consistently improving performances and, finally last weekend, the victory in Oberhof.

“My back is really very good and I’m free of pain. The work with the physiotherapists was worthwhile,” Huefner commented. The athletic results are adding up – as is reflected in her start times, improved flexibility and fewer mistakes. Taking all these factors into account, Huefner can draw a positive conclusion just in time for the upcoming Olympic Games: “I’m smiling again – this is what my coach always wanted.”