German women outnumber men for first time at Winter Games

Germany's Olympic Committee (DOSB) on Thursday announced a 151-strong team for the 2014 Winter Olympics with women outnumbering men for the first time. Seventy six female athletes and 75 men were picked to compete in the Games which get underway in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi from February 7. Four years ago in Vancouver, the 153-member German team had just 53 women to 95 men. It's also the smallest German team since the 1998 Nagano Games where they were represented by 133 athletes. Skier Maria Hoefl-Riesch and luger Felix Loch, will be defending their titles, with Eric Frenzel, world number one in Nordic combined, also a medal hope as Germany bid to match their 30 medals from Vancouver. "We want an identical haul (to 2010). But I'd be delighted with anything over 25 medals," said DOSB president Alfons Hoermann. "In the end we want to feature again in the top three nations standings," said DOSB secretary general Michael Vesper, who will be chef de mission for the third time after the 2008 Beijing Games and 2010 Vancouver. With 30 medals, including 10 in gold, Germany finished second in the medals table in Vancouver, behind hosts Canada (13 gold) but ahead of the United States, who had the most medals with 37, but only nine gold. Source: AFP