Severin Freund hopes for comeback before the 4-hills

At an event of his sponsor in Munich on Thursday, Severin Freund spoke about his current fitness level and the date for a possible comeback in the World Cup.

"When you had various injuries, the body adjusts to it and sometimes this leads to older injuries acting up again. But still I have realized that, when I'm on the hill, it would work relatively well again", said the 2015 World Champion, who had to end the last season already in January due to knee problems.

Now his first start in the World Cup since the last New Year's event in Garmisch-Partenkirchen before the 4-Hills-Tournament, traditionally the first big highlight on the calendar, is within reach for the 31-year-old Bavarian. "It would be great if I could compete before the 4-Hills. There are a few nice hills and, in the end, you'll do all of that to compete", he is quoted on br.de.

"For me it will definitely not be about competing every single weekend. Physically I'm definitely not where I want to be yet", said Freund, who wants to bounce back after his injury misfortune in the recent years and has set a spot on the German team for the grand final of the season in Planica (SLO) as a goal for himself. "If I make the team for the Ski Flying World Championships, then I have achieved a lot."

Severin Freund sustained an ACL tear early 2017 and when he returned to jumping training about half a year later he suffered the same injury again. Most recently, the overall World Cup winner of the 2014/15 season suffered another setback early this year when he had to undergo meniscus surgery.