Every year the Italian Winter Sports Federation chooses the best athlete of the season. Biathlon star Dorothea Wierer is missing from the athletes available for selection.
On Monday, FISI published the shortlist of nominated athletes. Both male and female athletes appear on it. There is no gender-specific distinction in the choice.
It is noticeable that biathlon superstar Dorothea Wierer is missing from the list of nominees. However, there is a simple reason for this: there is only one athlete from each sport to choose from.
In biathlon, FISI chose Lisa Vittozzi. The 28-year-old finished third in the overall World Cup last winter with 882 points. Wierer even took second place (911) behind the Frenchwoman Julia Simon (1093). Vittozzi also secured the small crystal ball in the individual. She also won four medals at the World Championships in Oberhof. Wierer was on the podium twice.
Dorothea Wierer will still tackle the 2023/24 biathlon season, but the Italian recently left it open whether she will still be at the start a year later.
“I will have lived this life for 20 years next year. It’s only normal that it leaves a few traces,” said Wierer in an interview with “Il T Quotidiano” about the effects of biathlon on her physical and mental health.
These are the 13 nominees:
Lisa Vittozzi (biathlon)
Marta Bassino (Alpine skiing)
Amedeo Bagnis (Skeleton)
Maurizio Bormolini (snowboard)
Tommaso Dellagiacoma (roller skis)
Simone Deromedis (ski cross)
Andrea Iori (grass skis)
Simone Mocellini (cross-country skiing)
Giulia Murada (touring ski)
Simone Origone (speed ski)
Annika Sieff (Nordic combined/now ski jumping)
Evelin Lanthaler (natural track tobogganing)
Dominik Firiegeller (artistic track tobogganing)
Fans can vote for their favorite until October 8th. Afterwards, three athletes remain who can be voted on again. The winner will be announced at the end of October.