Franziska van Almsick: A superstar fights against the shadows of the past

Franziska van Almsick: A superstar fights against the shadows of the past

Franziska van Almsick, one of Germany's biggest swimming stars, recently reflected on her eventful career in a new podcast and revealed how she dealt with personal challenges. The podcast “Our Franzi – Being Franziska van Almsick” is now available in the ARD audio library. In casual conversations with rbb reporter Lars Becker, she traces her life path and intensively discusses her personal relationship to sporting success and her own psyche.

Van Almsick started her career early and won her first Olympic medal at the age of 14. At 16, she set a world record that sent the swimming world into a frenzy. Becker remembers the mass hysteria surrounding her world record and the emotional pressure she was under. However, at Sydney 2000 she was ridiculed as “Franzi van Speck” because she did not win the gold medal. These and other challenges had a strong impact on her career.

Successes and challenges

In 2002, van Almsick enjoyed a career highlight with five gold medals at the home European Championships in Berlin, improving her own world record. However, the personal and social expectations were enormous. Van Almsick had to deal with a lot of pressure, which was not without consequences. So, unknown to the public, she suffered from anorexia, which greatly influenced her life and career. This eating disorder developed in the midst of her great success and remained a hidden chapter throughout her career.

The ARD documentary series “Being Franziska van Almsick” addresses this context and will be broadcast on Erste on September 9, 2025 at 10:50 p.m. Van Almsick's journey from teenage sensation to sports icon is examined, including her experiences with eating disorders and the mental health challenges that come with them. Vanessa sees herself as a projection screen for the reunited Germany.

The path to mental health

In the interview, she also talked about how she sought help from a psychologist to find her self-worth independent of sporting success. Her manager Regine Eichhorn also emphasizes that van Almsick's production was often "not appropriate and cross-border". These reflections are the focus of the podcast, in which family, friends and other companions also have their say to share their perspectives on the challenges van Almsick had to overcome.

Today the 47-year-old lives in Heidelberg with her husband and two children. Her commitment to young athletes is a matter close to her heart, as is her openness about her experiences after her career. The public knows van Almsick primarily as a successful athlete, but her courageous handling of personal crises shows another side of this remarkable woman.

To find out more about Franziska van Almsick's moving life story and challenges, those interested can listen to the podcast and the upcoming documentary “Being Franziska van Almsick” don't miss it.