For the men, the Biathlon World Championships in Nove Mesto were once again all about Johannes Thingnes Bø, who won a total of seven (!) medals and three world championship titles. Julia Simon, the big women’s World Cup winner, can only take her hat off to that.
It is obvious that at a Biathlon World Cup there is more than just running and shooting. Physical and mental regeneration between each start is at least as important as the races themselves. Three-time world champion Julia Simon also had to nibble on this challenge this year.
“I remember it was very, very difficult to manage the nights after the races… the excitement, the adrenaline that’s there until the evening. There’s an enormous amount of fatigue building up,” he reported “Le Dauphiné” interview about the hurdles that usually remain hidden from the public.
Simon is amazed at Fourcade and Bø
Because she has now experienced this experience first hand again, Simon says she finds it all the more impressive how some of the most successful biathletes of all time can cope with this workload of major event after major event. She particularly highlighted Martin Fourcade and Johannes Thingnes Bø, who together have 66 (!) World Cup medals to their name.
“It’s interesting to see that people like Martin Fourcade and Johannes Thingnes Bø are truly alien machines who are able to always handle this workload. I have great respect for that,” said Simon, bowing to the insatiable duo.
Because the emotions cost her so much energy, the Frenchwoman explained that she is now happy that the World Cup is over. “The end is a relief because it started to get very difficult,” said the 27-year-old, who nevertheless spoke of an “excellent learning experience.”