Lisa Spark won gold at the Biathlon Junior World Championships. Now she has been named “Junior Athlete of the Year 2022”.
In an online voting, the 22-year-old junior world champion from SC Traunstein prevailed over five young athletes, the German Sports Aid announced. Spark is an “outstanding athlete who, with her determination and discipline, is already a role model for other athletes in Germany,” said Thomas Berlemann, CEO of Sporthilfe.
German young hope in biathlon
Spark is already regarded as the young German hope in biathlon. So far, it has started almost exclusively in the junior area and could hardly compete with the World Cup elite. But she runs away from the juniors and at the age of 22 she can already boast some successes.
The past year in particular she really cleaned up. The absolute highlight, winning the gold medal in singles at the Junior World Championships in Soldier Hollow, USA.
Successes that she will probably have to work harder for in the coming years. Because from this season she will be competing in the women’s area for the first time. The opponents in the field are now called Marte Olsbu Roiseland and Elvira Öberg. Big names for the young woman from Traunstein.
The path to becoming a competitive athlete
For a long time, Spark was uncertain that one day the path to becoming a full professional would be within reach. In contrast to some of her competitors, the biathlete did not attend a sports boarding school, but a public high school. Linked competitions with school exams and successfully completed the Abitur despite her competitive sport.
After leaving school, Spark put everything on one card. She wanted to continue biathlon as a competitive athlete. The prerequisite for this was an official profession that would guarantee financial support from the German Sports Aid in order to be able to concentrate fully on the sport. She ended up with the Bavarian state police. For four years she has been diligently going to school during the non-competitive months. “That’s the most stressful time, you don’t have time for almost anything else,” emphasizes Spark in the biathlon podcast Extrarunde.
From Traunstein to Ruhpolding
Four years ago, the 22-year-old moved from her home town of Traunstein to Ruhpolding and has been training at the Bavarian Olympic base ever since. Your results speak volumes. She now wants to prove herself in the women’s division this season. Your goals are big.
Maybe one day to become like their role models Laura Dahlmeier and the Frenchman Martin Fourcade. Participation in the 2026 Winter Olympics seems more realistic at first. That could work, but the way there will certainly not be easy. In one thing, Spark can already pull the same with her idol Dahlmeier.
Spark wins the race
Alongside Anett Kaufmann (table tennis), Franziska Ritter (speed climbing), Jule Behrens (triathlon) and Leon Ulbricht (snowboard cross), she was one of five athletes to be nominated for Junior Athlete of the Year 2022. A choice that ex-biathlete Dahlmeier was also able to win in 2013.
Source: BR24 Sport 15.10.2022 – 10:55 p.m
