Biathlon star threatened with demotion – World Cup also in danger

Created: 07/01/2023 06:02

By: Melanie Gottschalk

Sweden's Stina Nilsson is falling short of her expectations this winter.

© Kalle Parkkinen/imago

After poor performance, a biathlon star is threatened with being eliminated from the World Cup.

Then participation in the World Championships in Oberhof would also be at risk. 

Pokljuka - The biathlon season is in full swing, after a short break over Christmas, the first World Cup weekend of the year started on Thursday (January 5th).

In February, another highlight awaits the ski hunters in Oberhof with the World Championships.

Denise Hermann-Wick is leading the way among German women this season, while biathlon hopeful Franziska Preuss is once again struggling with an infection and has to step back again.

The time until the home World Cup in Oberhof is running out, but Preuss hopes to be able to train fully again soon.

Biathlon: Stina Nilsson could miss the World Cup

The Swede Stina Nilsson is also worried about her participation in the World Championship, but not because of an infection or an injury, but because of a lack of performance.

Even in the sprint in Pokljuka, Slovenia, she was not able to increase her performance in the first race of the new year, and ended up only 64th, which is why she missed the pursuit.

“It wasn't a good competition, but it was important to make me feel like I could compete.

We have to evaluate, but it feels like I'm on the right track and I'm happy with my Christmas break," Nilsson told Swedish newspaper

after the race.

Biathlon: Swede runs behind expectations

Nilsson is running behind her expectations in this World Cup winter, now she is even threatened with demotion to the IBU Cup – the second division in biathlon, so to speak – reports the

.

Should that happen, she will probably not be nominated for the Swedish team at the World Championships in Oberhof.

That would be very bitter.

So if she wants to start at the Biathlon World Championships, she still has to improve significantly, but she is also aware of the competition in the Swedish team: "We have such a strong team, so I just want to regain a good feeling at the moment," said Nilsson.

She still has a few weeks left and as we all know, hope dies last.

However, better performance is essential.

(msb)