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Biathlon offspring: what comes after Herrmann-Wick and Doll?

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Biathlon offspring: what comes after Herrmann-Wick and Doll?

Status: 03/22/2023 1:40 p.m

Denise Herrmann-Wick has just ended her career, Benedikt Doll is continuing – at least for another year. But even the most successful and consistent skier of the last season belongs to the over 30s and won’t be able to keep up with the world‘s best forever.

What comes next? How good is the German biathlon junior? Very good, one might think when looking at the grandiose youth and junior world championships with a total of 15 medals.

The sports director of the German Ski Association, Felix Bitterling, was happy about the “success festival” with 15 medals, but also classified the achievements in the sports show interview: “A junior world championship is just a small step on the ladder they want to go. The big goal is to arrive in the World Cup and play a role there. We want to bring athletes to the World Cup who may need a little time to get used to the groove, but will eventually be able to perform at their best.”

DSV men already oldies

The next generation is certainly in the starting blocks and gives hope for Biathlon Germany. After all, the past few years have often been no picnic. A star is missing in the German scene. For the men, Doll and Co. have been in the shadow of the Norwegians for years and probably never get out of it. Philipp Nawrath (30), Roman Rees (30) and Johannes Kühn (31) are also over 30. It’s hard to imagine that they would have a huge performance explosion over the summer.

The World Cup newcomers Justus Strelow and David Zobel are neither high-flyers nor young talents. Both are 26 and have not been able to break through to the very top this season, which is dominated by the Norwegians. After the home World Championships without a medal, Doll ensured the only win of the season for the DSV men in Östersund.

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Herrmann-Wick – the radiant woman goes

After the departure of seven-time world champion Laura Dahlmeier in 2018, a former cross-country skier held the flag high for the women. Denise Herrmann-Wick won bronze in the cross-country relay in 2014, made her World Cup debut on December 9, 2016 shortly before her 28th birthday and started with an Olympic victory and world championship titles. The now 34-year-old said goodbye after the 2022/23 season and wrote her personal biathlon fairy tale by winning the last sprint of her career.

It couldn’t have ended better. Denise Herrmann-Wick wins the last sprint race of the season and thus also secures the small crystal globe.
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Who follows in their footsteps? With Hanna Kebinger and Sophia Schneider, two 25-year-olds appeared in the World Cup this season. Both were in the second tier IBU Cup for a long time, matured there and made the World Cup team mid-season. On good days, both are capable of running into the top ten. There is (still) a piece missing to the absolute top of the world.

German talents take too long

It is obviously a problem that the DSV skiers are already in their mid-20s in their first World Cup season. “The athletes who move to the next higher series are too old”Bitterling confirms and corroborates: “We have very few juniors competing in the IBU Cup. That needs to be more.” Recently, there have only been a few ski hunters who have passed the IBU Cup quickly and then started in the World Cup. Compared to the Norwegians, the Germans are at least two years behind. Other nations have also overtaken the DSV in this regard. Eric Perrot (21/France), Niklas Hartweg (23/Switzerland), Anna Gandler (22/Austria) and Elvira Oeberg (24/Sweden) ended up in the concert of the best much earlier.

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The DSV has recognized the problem and wants to let more talents get a taste of it in the future, but the performance has to be right, according to Bitterling. A World Cup candidate is definitely Selina Grotian. The 18-year-old is Germany’s greatest hope for the future and an absolutely exceptional talent. 2023 has been her year so far: Although she could still start as a youth, the young Bavarian became the adult European pursuit champion and recently won four gold medals at the Junior World Championships. The provisional highlight was her World Cup debut in Östersund. That finished Grotian with two penalties in the sprint in 44th place.

Grotian – a biathlon jewel

Grotian follows in the footsteps of Neuner and Dahlmeier – parallels cannot be denied. All three have their roots in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, were born in the same clinic, learned biathlon multiplication tables at SC Mittenwald and trained under Bernhard Kröll. He formed “Gold-Lena” and “Gold-Laura” into two of the most successful German winter athletes in history. Grotian could be the third in the bunch.

The path she has taken is similar to that of Laura Dahlmeier. Laura was an outstanding complex athlete and that’s what it takes to be among the best in the world. Biathlon has come a long way, especially at the shooting range. Just being able to run fast is no longer enough. With four mistakes you don’t see a trick anymore”so Bitterling.

Selina Grotian won four gold medals at the Junior World Championships.

Dynamic girls group

Grotian is not the only one from the DSV youth forge that can be expected in the future. The youngsters Julia Tannheimer (DAV Ulm/born 2005) and Julia Kink (WSV Aschau/2004) are among the top talents who shone at the JWM. Both started in youth and became individual world champions in sprint and pursuit (Tannheimer) as well as in individual (Kink).

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In addition to Grotian, Johanna Puff, Marlene Fichtner and Selina Kastl are in the starting blocks for the juniors. “These are really good girls who have been together in a group for a long time. If one makes progress, the other wants to follow.”, Bitterling praises the ambition of the talents. Bitterling didn’t want to speculate whether it would be enough for a golden generation, the biathlon had exploded too much for that. “Before there were only three big biathlon nations, now many have improved the budget and the possibilities”says the new biathlon sports director.

Who should stop the Norwegians?

The power density has become significantly tighter – except for men. Since the Norwegians just overflight everything. And that’s not likely to change in the foreseeable future. In Germany, too, a new World Cup top runner is not yet in sight.

There are some with potential – like Benjamin Menz, who recently won individual gold in the juniors. The next step now has to be the IBU Cup. Only those who are consistently at the front there have realistic chances in the World Cup.

The former biathlete Kati Wilhelm speaks in an interview with Sportschau about the end of Denise Herrmann-Wick’s career and to what extent the youngsters are prepared for it.
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Denise Herrmann-Wick can’t hold back her tears after the mass start in Oslo. The Olympic and world champion says goodbye emotionally to active sport.
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It is Denise Herrmann-Wick’s last biathlon race. The recap of the women’s mass start from Oslo.
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