interview
Medal winner Philipp Nawrath talks about his 32nd birthday in the biathlon World Cup Special of the winter sports podcast, hate comments on Instagram and things that get him disturbed.
Sports show: One day after winning the bronze medal, you have a special day for you – a special day for you, because it is your 32nd birthday. Congratulations! How was celebrated?
Philipp Nawrath: Thank you very much! We made an appointment for breakfast, there was a surprise, cake with candles. Even the Norwegians baked a cake.
Sports show: Are you someone who usually celebrates his birthday really big?
Nawrath: The last four or five years my birthday has always always fallen to the highlight of the season. That’s why the party was usually not that big. If someone has time, it is more like a common sporting activity.
Sports show: Having a birthday usually also means to be the focus. Is that something for you?
Nawrath: Fifty-fifty. If the mood fits, then yes. It is nice that everyone congratulates you over the day and that this is not lost – you are the focus briefly.
Nawrath about World Cup Mixed relay: “Insanely emotional”
Sports show: Yesterday Wednesday there was bronze at the start of the World Cup. What does this World Cup medal mean to you?
Nawrath: It was incredibly emotional when Justus brought through this standing shooting. We have all four a rock solid performance. It was important that nobody teared down. In the end it was incredibly exciting, but in the end we were lucky on our side – after many years in which luck was a bit missing.
Hass comments on Instagram – “don’t know why that is”
Sports show: It went out well for them. In the end not that for the Norwegians. Ingrid Landmark Tankrevold shot two penalty rounds and shared a comment on the net on Instagram, in which she was insulted in the worst. Have you already experienced something like that?
Nawrath: So far, I have to say, it was always decent with me. I haven’t noticed that at Ingrid now, but of course it is unsightly if that happens. A few from our team have already experienced that. That some think they have to reveal their mustard – I don’t know why.
Sports show: How do you currently live at the World Cup in Lenzerheide? Do you have a room partner, your own room? We heard it is a mixture of apartment and hotel.
Nawrath: Yes, we have the largest suite in the building. We were already in this apartment last year and were already blown away by the size and space. It is very modern, there is a lot of wood that I like very much. It is a great apartment with a panoramic view of all mountains here.
We have everything you could want for such a major event, in which you crouch a little longer. I am in the part of the apartment, which is actually more suitable as a living room – unfortunately it is the case that I am known as a snorer. So it is difficult for me to share the room with someone.
The venue of the biathlon World Cup: Lenzerheide in Switzerland
Nawrath about “no great situations”
Sports show: You are a prudent guy, even after the sixth interview in the mixed zone. Are there situations in which Philipp Nawrath is also angry?
Nawrath: Yes, actually a few situations. If, for example, people who don’t even know you come under the belt line. Of course it is always nice when fans cheer, we live on that too, but if it just goes too far – ‘Come on, take a photo, you are now my buddy’, and you don’t know each other – then that’s for me Just not a great situation.
Then I pull myself out, take my arm away and make it very clear that I don’t want it. You have to make that very clear. This is not an issue, and you can then take the photo as normal. Maybe these are the only situations. Otherwise, I stand everything and everyone, no matter what questions come.
The successor of Doll – “you can’t replace Benni”
Sports show: Benedikt Doll ended his career after last season and was considered the team’s leader. How is the structure in the team now, was there someone who replaced him?
Nawrath: You can’t replace a Benni Doll directly. On the one hand sporty, on the other hand, what he personally brought into the team – you can tell that something is missing. Responsibility is currently spread over many shoulders.
Ended his career a year ago: Benedikt Doll
Sports show: At the end of the season, the Bö-Brüder go in athlete’s pension. How far into the future do you look?
Nawrath: I have already mentioned it somewhere: I was a little surprised that the two announced it so early. But for me it continues. It is relatively clear to me that it continues until the 2026 Olympics, which is the biggest goal after the current World Cup. But now I want to concentrate on the next competitions. I am also in a very good situation when it comes to the overall World Cup. This is now what is going on in sport.
The entire interview with Philipp Nawrath with topics such as the support of biathlon legend Michael Greis, the special role of the relay client and Nawrath’s impending promotion to the police are available in the complete podcast episode.