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Deutsche Welle

Daniel Unger paused at the finish line just long enough to stretch both arms toward the sky over Hamburg - then the 29-year-old sank to the ground, drained of his last ounce of energy. All the experts bet against him, but he had just become the triathlon world champion. This resounding victory marked the return of an exceptional athlete. His dream of an Olympic gold medal in Athens slipped from his grasp because of an illness just three days before the opening ceremonies. In summer, 2008, he will be pursuing that dream once again - at the Olympic Games in Beijing.