Maybe it’s now, in a row at the end of the Olympics. Jason Osborne doesn’t know exactly yet, but as a precaution he needs to preserve everything he experienced in Tokyo. Village life, training, landscapes: Every few minutes, the over course passes as the planes approach. In the distance stretches a large bridge, which has a future touch, and its steel girders look like the wings of a bird of prey. If he sees the award ceremony again later, he will find it again.

As an athlete, Osborne was a rower. But he had long devised a new plan. As the International Olympic Committee (IOC) wanted to remove the easy double head from the Olympic program, Osborne became more and more passionate about cycling, even participating in German road racing championships and calling it the “e-cycling World Cup”. “Great cyclists like virtual home trainer Rigoberto Euron cycled last December. Now the IOC has not canceled both, and there are still medals to be won in Paris.”

When he competed in the final with Jonathan Rommelmann, Osborne was allowed to go back on the boat, which was a tough match. It should be the same in the Olympic Games. Rommelman raised his fist in the sky behind him, and Osborne breathed heavily. It is not clear if they will paddle together again at the Olympics, but now they have won silver for the first time, behind Ireland and ahead of Italy. Very good – or not?

Both are not really sure, and sometimes looking to the future will shape the moment. Looks like they will have one last chance for gold in Tokyo. “Our goal was to beat the Irish,” Osborne said, adding that it was an ambitious project: competitors Paul Odonovan and Fintan McCarthy are world and European champions. Osborne and Rommelman bravely approached the race and led halfway through a small margin a kilometer later. “The third 500m was crucial for us. We knew they would go at a good pace because they were always there,” Osborne said.

“Our goal has always been to be on the same level as the Irish in the 1500m,” Osborne said, adding that this time they did – but in the final sprint they were behind, “unfortunately we were too late for the goal”. The Germans had every reason to celebrate this Thursday morning in Tokyo – not just because they were able to bring the German Rowing Association first medal in these games. The wind again created difficult conditions, “If you do not pay attention, it will bring you down,” Rommelman said. The main problem was the wind. But two Germans focused. “It’s important to get rid of fear and focus on rowing. That’s all you can do,” Osborne said. Since the 1996 Olympic premiere, not a single German lightweight double scull has reached the medal rankings among men. Women had silver in 2000 and 2004.

Lightweight rowers are considered to be more technical because they can use less muscle mass to move them forward, so they all come to work with the paddle. Both athletes are only allowed to weigh 140 kilograms together, and they have to “sweat” before the competition. Wrap it in thick clothing and get on your bike so the scales don’t show too much at the end. “At first you were a little dehydrated,” Rommelman said after the trip to Silver. He then had to go to doping control, which dragged on for a while. “It will take time for the water to reach the bottom.”

While Osborne is trying his hand at cycling, he now wants to continue his medical studies. “I have a lot of good people in the background who have done a good job. I’m sure you can find a good racing team,” he said.

But on Thursday in Tokyo, they wanted to keep the future away from them. “Today we want to enjoy the first day,” Rumelman said, “hoping we can have a little party in the living room.”