The 2024 Olympic Games were not as exciting as Alica Schmidt had hoped.
The German athletics star, often described as “the sexiest athlete in the world”, failed to qualify for the women’s 4x400m relay after finishing seventh in the second heat of the preliminary round on Friday.
Since only the best four teams from the first and second heats qualified for the final on Saturday, the blonde beauty’s campaign in Paris had come to an end.
Schmidt and her three teammates achieved a time of 3:26.95, while the heat winners from Jamaica crossed the finish line after 3:24.92.
The Dutch quartet finished second, while Ireland and Canada secured a place in the final by finishing third and fourth respectively.
Team USA won the first heat and posted the fastest time – 3:21.44 – even though Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone did not compete.
Great Britain, France and Belgium also qualified.
Schmidt, who has over seven million followers on her Instagram and TikTok pages, competed in the mixed 4×400-meter relay last week, but Team Germany finished seventh and was subsequently eliminated.
The 25-year-old was obviously involved in team drama, and some of her compatriots expressed their frustration at the decision to send her to the relay.
“Yes, on paper I am the second fastest 400-meter athlete. No, I am not nominated for the mixed relay,” wrote teammate Luna Bulmahn in a now-deleted Instagram post.
OLYMPIC GAMES 2024 IN PARIS
The German sprinter Jean Paul Bredau, Bulmahn’s friend, also ran alongside Schmidt in the mixed relay and apparently shared his disappointment about the line-up.
“There were a few decisions that not everyone approved of. The DLV said very clearly: The fastest four should run. But a different decision was made,” he wrote on Instagram and then deleted it again.
While Bredau apologized for his comments and was allowed to participate in the relay, Bulmahn was excluded from the women’s 4×400 meter team.
“Jean Paul Bredau has apologized and will compete in the 400 m individual race. Luna Bulmahn will not be competing in the relay in Paris. Relays are a team sport. The athletes and coaches form this team. Success depends on good teamwork and mutual trust among all,” said a statement from the DLV on Tuesday.
Schmidt qualified for the 2021 Olympic Games in Tokyo, which were postponed due to the pandemic, and traveled with the team.
However, she was not selected to race and later announced that she would be taking a “break” from the racetrack, discussing her struggles with COVID-19 and injuries during the 2021 season.
Although the Olympic Games in Paris did not go as planned, she has not ruled out participating in the 2028 Games in Los Angeles.
