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FORSTER Anna-Lena
Sport Para alpine skiing
NPC Germany   
GenderWomen
Age27
Place of BirthRadolfzell, GER
Human Interest
Impairment Information
Type of Impairment
 Limb deficiency
Origin of Impairment
 Congenital
Classification
 LW12-1
Further Personal Information
Residence
 Freiburg, GER
Occupation
 Athlete, Customs Officer
Languages
 English, French, German, Italian
Higher education
 Psychology - Albert Ludwigs University of Freiburg: Germany
Sport Specific Information
When and where did you begin this sport?
 She began skiing at age six with VdK Munchen in Germany.
Why this sport?
 Her parents and her brother are passionate skiers, and they encouraged her to take up the sport. "When I was born my parents weren't so sure whether the tradition of a ski holiday was still possible. It was a coincidence that my hometown of Singen had an event where Para sports were presented. Among other things, we found monoskiing. I was relatively young, but the ski instructor said we should wait a few more years until I could fit the ski. Then my parents measured me every year. We tried it out when I was age six, with quite a bit of cushion in the seat shell. But at least it worked so far that I could drive. For the next four years, I took a ski course every year. Until the trainer said, 'You don't even have to look any further, I think you have talent'. From then on, I was part of the youth team."
Club / Team
 BRSV Radolfzell: Germany
Name of coach
 Justus Wolf [national], GER
Senior International Debut
Year
 2012
Competing for
 Germany
General Interest
Nicknames
 Leni, Lenchen (skiteam-alpin.org, 03 Dec 2012)
Hobbies
 Trampolining, climbing, swimming. (faz.net, 07 Mar 2022)
Memorable sporting achievement
 Winning two gold medals at the 2018 Paralympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang. (anna-lena-forster.de, 01 Jan 2020)
Most influential person in career
 Her parents. (sportschau.de, 23 Mar 2021)
Hero / Idol
 German Para alpine skier Anna Schaffelhuber. (faz.net, 07 Mar 2022)
Sporting philosophy / motto
 "At my first ski courses I often cried because I felt very cold or my leg hurt. The older I got, the more aware I became of what I love about skiing: freedom. The freedom to be out in nature and ski like everyone else. The freedom you feel when you stand on a mountain and you can look over everything." (paralympic.org, 14 Jan 2021)
Awards and honours
 She and biathlete Martin Fleig were flag bearers for Germany at the opening ceremony of the 2022 Paralympic Winter Games in Beijing. (IPC Entries, 04 Mar 2022)

In 2014 and 2016 she was named Sportswoman of the Year by the Baden Disabled and Rehabilitation Sports Association [BBS] in Germany. (suedkurier.de, 07 Dec 2016)

In 2014 she received the Silbernes Lorbeerblatt [Silver Laurel Leaf] in Germany. (bundespraesident.de, 05 May 2014)

In 2013 she received a gold medal in recognition of her sporting achievements from the town of Radolfzell in Germany. (wochenblatt.net, 17 Apr 2013)
Ambitions
 To win gold medals at the 2022 Paralympic Winter Games in Beijing. (paralympic.org, 22 Jan 2022)
Impairment
 She was born without her right leg and missing bones in her left leg. "My parents never stopped me. They let me try everything. Able-bodied children are also allowed to fall down and gain experience of what works and what doesn't. This is an important way of life." (badische-zeitung.de, 11 Mar 2017; suedkurier.de, 10 Mar 2010)
Other information
 MENTAL STRENGTH
She was disappointed with her results at the 2015 World Championships, and began working with a psychologist after the tournament to help her deal with nerves. She saw the benefits at the 2018 Paralympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang, where she overcame a difficult start to end up going home with two gold medals. "Going to see a psychologist] helped a lot. I realised I needed to stay positive and trust my abilities. The 2018 Paralympic Winter Games didn't start well for me. I crashed in the downhill and then in the super-G I finished fourth. That was not the plan. It affected my confidence and I was very stressed. Others had medals, and I'd lost. But then I spoke to family and friends, and they were a big influence. My family got me going again. That's where the positivity came in. They told me I could do it and they cheered me up. They made me strong and got me believing. I began thinking, 'You can do it' ahead of the other events." (paralympic.org, 09 Jan 2019)

Competition Highlights (historical)
Paralympic Games
Rank Year Event Result
4 2014 Downhill - Sitting 1:39.71
  2014 Super-G - Sitting DNF
2 2014 Slalom - Sitting 2:14.35
2 2014 Super Combined - Sitting 2:38.96 
3 2014 Giant Slalom - Sitting 2:59.33 
  2018 Downhill - Sitting  DNF
4 2018 Super-G - Sitting 1:36.26
1 2018 Super Combined - Sitting 2:27.59
6 2018 Giant Slalom - Sitting 2:31.77
1 2018 Slalom - Sitting 1:55.82
2 2022 Downhill - Sitting 1:30.59
2 2022 Super-G - Sitting 1:23.84
1 2022 Super Combined - Sitting 2:11.37
4 2022 Giant Slalom - Sitting 2:10.98
1 2022 Slalom - Sitting 1:37.86
World Championships
Rank Year Event Result
5 2012/2013 Super-G - Sitting 1:29.14
2 2012/2013 Slalom - Sitting 2:31.31
4 2012/2013 Super Combined - Sitting 2:16.59
  2012/2013 Giant Slalom - Sitting  DNF
  2014/2015 Super-G - Sitting  DNF
5 2014/2015 Super Combined - Sitting 2:20.16
4 2014/2015 Giant Slalom - Sitting 2:30.12 
3 2014/2015 Slalom - Sitting 2:04.31 
4 2016/2017 Downhill - Sitting 1:25.17
6 2016/2017 Super-G - Sitting 1:17.31
3 2016/2017 Super Combined - Sitting 2:06.88
4 2016/2017 Giant Slalom - Sitting 2:33.25
2 2016/2017 Slalom - Sitting 1:34.80
3 2018/2019 Giant Slalom - Sitting 2:34.91
1 2018/2019 Slalom - Sitting 2:18.24
2 2018/2019 Downhill - Sitting 1:10.03
3 2018/2019 Super Combined - Sitting 2:05.92
4 2018/2019 Super-G - Sitting 1:16.49
1 2021/2022 Downhill - Sitting 1:23.33
1 2021/2022 Super-G - Sitting 1:19.91
1 2021/2022 Super Combined - Sitting 2:11.16
  2021/2022 Giant Slalom - Sitting  DNF
1 2021/2022 Slalom - Sitting 1:41.38
World Cup Final
Rank Year Event Result
2 2015/2016 Giant Slalom - Sitting 1:59.70
2 2015/2016 Giant Slalom - Sitting 2:00.58
1 2015/2016 Slalom - Sitting 1:27.98
3 2015/2016 Downhill - Sitting 1:23.82
3 2015/2016 Downhill - Sitting 1:22.62
4 2015/2016 Super-G - Sitting 1:31.87
4 2015/2016 Super-G - Sitting 1:33.40
2 2016/2017 Downhill - Sitting 1:35.24
4 2016/2017 Super-G - Sitting 1:40.05
3 2016/2017 Super-G - Sitting 1:36.08
3 2016/2017 Giant Slalom - Sitting 2:29.69
1 2016/2017 Slalom - Sitting 1:43.01
World Cup
Rank Year Event Result
4 2012/2013 Slalom - Sitting  
3 2013/2014 Slalom - Sitting  
5 2013/2014 Giant Slalom - Sitting  
7 2013/2014 Super-G - Sitting  
3 2014/2015 Slalom - Sitting  
4 2014/2015 Giant Slalom - Sitting  
1 2015/2016 Downhill - Sitting  
1 2015/2016 Slalom - Sitting  
3 2015/2016 Giant Slalom - Sitting  
1 2015/2016 Super-G - Sitting  
3 2016/2017 Downhill - Sitting  
2 2016/2017 Slalom - Sitting  
3 2016/2017 Giant Slalom - Sitting  
5 2016/2017 Super-G - Sitting  
2 2017/2018 Giant Slalom - Sitting 2:20.81
3 2017/2018 Giant Slalom - Sitting 2:19.61
1 2017/2018 Slalom - Sitting 1:54.02
2 2017/2018 Slalom - Sitting 2:01.23
3 2017/2018 Giant Slalom - Sitting 1:55.27
1 2017/2018 Slalom - Sitting 1:38.30
3 2017/2018 Downhill - Sitting 1:23.16
4 2017/2018 Downhill - Sitting 1:22.67
4 2017/2018 Super-G - Sitting 1:30.75
4 2017/2018 Downhill - Sitting  
2 2017/2018 Slalom - Sitting  
2 2017/2018 Giant Slalom - Sitting  
3 2017/2018 Super-G - Sitting  
2 2017/2018 Super-G - Sitting 1:29.54
3 2018/2019 Giant Slalom - Sitting 2:34.91
1 2018/2019 Slalom - Sitting 2:18.24
2 2018/2019 Downhill - Sitting 1:10.03
4 2018/2019 Super-G - Sitting 1:16.49
1 2018/2019 Super-G - Sitting 1:20.85
2 2018/2019 Super-G - Sitting 1:18.62
2 2018/2019 Super-G - Sitting 1:20.81
3 2018/2019 Giant Slalom - Sitting 2:11.23
4 2018/2019 Giant Slalom - Sitting 2:08.63
3 2018/2019 Giant Slalom - Sitting 2:12.90
2 2018/2019 Giant Slalom - Sitting 1:48.23
2 2018/2019 Giant Slalom - Sitting 1:49.29
2 2018/2019 Giant Slalom - Sitting 1:57.60
1 2018/2019 Slalom - Sitting 1:45.25
1 2018/2019 Slalom - Sitting 1:49.93
1 2018/2019 Slalom - Sitting 1:50.49
1 2018/2019 Slalom - Sitting 1:51.04
1 2019/2020 Super-G - Sitting 1:14.30
1 2019/2020 Super-G - Sitting 1:15.54
  2019/2020 Giant Slalom - Sitting  DNF
  2019/2020 Slalom - Sitting  DNF
1 2019/2020 Slalom - Sitting 1:45.25
1 2019/2020 Slalom - Sitting 1:48.54
1 2019/2020 Giant Slalom - Sitting 2:05.13
1 2019/2020 Giant Slalom - Sitting 2:09.24
  2019/2020 Giant Slalom - Sitting  DNF
1 2019/2020 Slalom - Sitting 2:00.90
1 2019/2020 Slalom - Sitting  
5 2019/2020 Giant Slalom - Sitting  
2 2019/2020 Super-G - Sitting  
2 2018/2019 Downhill - Sitting  
1 2018/2019 Slalom - Sitting  
2 2018/2019 Giant Slalom - Sitting  
1 2018/2019 Super-G - Sitting  
Kranjska Gora
Rank Year Event Result
3 2016/2017 Giant Slalom - Sitting 2:23.22
5 2016/2017 Slalom - Sitting 1:48.36
1 2016/2017 Slalom - Sitting 1:50.44
Kühtai
Rank Year Event Result
2 2016/2017 Slalom - Sitting 2:01.04
  2016/2017 Giant Slalom - Sitting  DNF
3 2016/2017 Giant Slalom - Sitting 2:25.45
St. Moritz
Rank Year Event Result
2 2016/2017 Giant Slalom - Sitting 1:52.42
2 2016/2017 Giant Slalom - Sitting 1:47.13
1 2016/2017 Slalom - Sitting 1:37.57
2 2016/2017 Slalom - Sitting 1:36.83
Innerkrems
Rank Year Event Result
5 2016/2017 Downhill - Sitting 55.36
6 2016/2017 Downhill - Sitting 1:17.84
5 2016/2017 Super-G - Sitting 1:23.01
4 2016/2017 Super Combined - Sitting 2:17.89
Hakuba
Rank Year Event Result
2 2016/2017 Giant Slalom - Sitting 1:58.18
  2016/2017 Super-G - Sitting  DNF
3 2016/2017 Super-G - Sitting 1:20.76