Last season, Selina Grotian won everything in the junior biathlon category and has already celebrated success with the adults. Can she also attack in the World Cup? Erik Lesser says: “You have the tools”. A few big comparisons emerge.
Germany’s greatest biathlon talent celebrated her most important sporting successes in the spring. Selina Grotian only became known to an audience of millions in the fall. And not with a rifle, racing suit and on snow but in an evening dress and an entertainment show. Grotian had in MDR television at the “Golden Hen 2023” her big entrance.
“Rising Star of the Year” and “strongly flexed”
The 19-year-old was named at the audience award “Rising Star of the Year” honored. Among other things, four gold medals at the Junior World Championships and a complete set of medals at the European Championships this year. The eulogy for Grotian was given by three-time Olympic medalist Erik Lesser.
The Thuringian praised the Bavarian: “You rocked the school and youth classes, so it was only a matter of time before you would cause an international sensation […] You dominated the junior classes and flexed heavily last year. World Cup debut at the age of 19 – the finest cream.”
Always with them Best of the year
The rise of Grotian is indeed impressive. The Mittenwald native has been doing biathlon since she was nine years old – and has been one of the best in her year every year from the start. German Cup, Junior European Championships, Junior World Cup – she was on top of the podium everywhere. Last season she made her breakthrough in the IBU Cup at the age of 18.
In the second biathlon league in the adult class, she dueled on equal terms with the World Cup experienced Vanessa Hinz and the Swede Mona Brorsson and celebrated two victories in the IBU Cup. Over the course of the season, Grotian climbed to third place in the IBU Cup. Before she completely won the Junior World Championships and her winter was crowned with her first World Cup start. In Oslo she was allowed to start on the legendary Holmenkollen and came 44th in her first race. In the sprint.
Germany’s biathlete Selina Grotian in the preseason.
Parallels to Dahlmeier and Neuner
Has a talent emerged in Upper Bavaria between the Karwendel and Wetterstein Mountains in recent years that is following in the footsteps of biathlon legends Magdalena Neuner and Laura Dahlmeier? The parallels are there and obvious.
Neuner and Dahlmeier were also discovered by home trainer Bernhard Kröll. They also dominated their youth classes. Like Grotian, Neuner and Dahlmeier were also among the best runners. But Grotian doesn’t like these comparisons. She made that clear back in March when she wrote on Instagram shortly before her World Cup debut: “Magdalena is Magdalena – Laura is Laura – and Selina. That’s me, just a girl who loves biathlon.”
Successful coach Kröll: “There are certain comparisons”
And Kröll also waves it off: “There are certain comparisons, although I personally don’t like comparing athletes with each other”said the successful coach on Bavarian Radio in March.
So Grotian. What are the strengths of the great young talent? It’s undoubtedly in the running aspect – at the Junior World Championships she had the fastest or second fastest running time in all of her races. In the IBU Cup she consistently shone in the running top 10. “My strength is the final lap, that’s what I’m known for”reports Grotian about Grotian in one Video from Sporthilfe.
Calmness at the shooting range
Added to this is peace and composure at the shooting range. In the BR she explains that she can “Just turn off your head and do my thing”. Lesser also sees this as a strength: “One of your many characteristics that I appreciate is your down-to-earth attitude. Just letting go of biathlon and chilling out.”
Grotian, whose brother Tim made it to the IBU Cup between 2017 and 2020, still has reserves in the shooting. This winter she wants to increase from an 80 percent hit rate to 85 percent, as she revealed at the German Ski Association’s official winter clothing presentation in October.
Sportschau winter sports podcast, October 25th, 2023 12:00 p.m
In Sjusjoen better than Preuß and Davidova
She had to cancel the German Championships in September due to illness. From a first test under quasi-World Cup conditions, Grotian was able to at least take some experience with him for the winter – even if there was no improvement on the shooting range yet.
At the test competition in Sjusjoen in mid-November, Grotian only finished 33rd in the sprint with five shooting errors. In the mass start, she finished 16th, well ahead of teammate Franziska Preuß (25th) and the three-time Czech World Cup winner Marketa Davidova (27th).
Lesser: “Maintaining class is becoming more difficult”
At the end of October, Grotian was in the spotlight at the “Golden Hen” show. Starting next weekend, she will be in the World Cup spotlight and will be competing against the world’s best biathletes. In Östersund she will get a starting place in the individual or sprint. Upset? “I’m trying not to let that get to me”Grotian remains cool on the outside.
Erik Lesser, who has the experience of 285 World Cup starts, seven World Championships and three Olympic Games, gives this hint: “You’ve mastered the climb up to this point. But maintaining the class will be a little more difficult. You have the tools.”