interview
A race between ecstasy and disappointment characterizes Leonhard Pfund’s first World Cup winter. In the Sportschau winter sports podcast, the biathlete talks about this special day in Nove Mesto, but also about doubts, high stress and why he is optimistic about German biathlon despite the difficult DSV season.
Sports show: Leonhard Pfund, the biathlon season came to an end with the World Cup in Oslo last weekend. Have you already entered “offseason mode”?
Leonhard Pfund: Yes, yes, I’m already in off-season mode, I’ve been pretty tired and exhausted and I’m now looking forward to a week of doing nothing. But it’s not nothing – I’m now back in training with the police. That means I have something to do, but sometimes not having any training is good for the body.
Sports show: It was widely reported that there was no World Cup victory for the German biathletes. How do you perceive this as a newcomer?
Leonhard Pfund: It’s a shame. The German biathlon has been significantly more successful. But I am convinced that we can now attack again and that the next few years will be better again.
Pfund: “We have a lot of motivated and talented people”
Sports show: What particularly encourages you? Your own performance, for example?
Leonhard Pfund: Yes, among other things. I also know a lot of young athletes, we all train together. I think there are a lot of motivated and talented people there. And that’s why I think the future looks pretty good.
Sports show: Sports director Felix Bitterling is leaving the DSV, Bernd Eisenbichler will return in May. Where do you currently see the biggest construction sites for him?
Leonhard Pfund: Phew, big question! The biggest problem, of course, is the young generation, being able to get the broad masses into sport and then being able to retain them. That you have the strongest possible competition in the junior and men’s age groups, so that the really, really good ones come out. Then you have the density like the Norwegians or the French.
That means we actually have to start very low down. With the children, that you can make sport appealing to them, that sport is something cool and fun. And also put money or funding into it so that there are incentives.
Sports show: You yourself experienced a dramatic race in the single mixed relay with Marlene Fichtner: after you were first across the finish line in Nove Mesto, you were disqualified because Fichtner violated a safety regulation. How much does that still bother you?
Leonhard Pfund: Not at all. This is still the coolest race I’ve ever run. An outstanding experience. There was little frustration there. The only negative thing I see is that you didn’t get the prize money or the medal.
But the race was worth more to me. Having fun the whole race, always being at the front and then being able to decide the thing on the steep climb on the last lap… So many fans are screaming, it’s really loud and you’re full of adrenaline. That was simply the greatest experience I’ve ever had in biathlon.
Pfund: “There were a few low points”
Sports show: How do you rate your World Cup winter looking back?
Leonhard Pfund: I’m really happy with how it turned out. I think I’ve been very, very lucky. Of course there were also a few low points. But that’s exactly what it’s all about: sport thrives on emotions. Sometimes things go really badly and sometimes things go really, really well. It was a lot of fun and I was able to experience a lot.
Sports show: Are you already excited for the coming season or are you looking forward to not having to see snow for now?
Leonhard Pfund: I’m glad it’s over because it was a really long season for me. I wasn’t used to being on the road for three weeks in a row and running three competitions every week – or even more. And then those travel days in between, the flying around, the jet-set life.
I’ve never had that before and it’s exhausting. I’ve had 28 races this year and in previous years I had a maximum of 16, 17 or 18. That means it was a significant increase and I was on the road significantly longer. And that’s why I was happy that it was over and that I was back home and doing normal things again. But I think if I don’t do anything for a week or two, then I’ll feel like snow and training again.
Pounds about living “like a monk”
Sports show: During the competitions you don’t do any sightseeing, you don’t see much of the places. That doesn’t really make “balancing” that easy, does it?
Leonhard Pfund: Yes, of course it always depends on how you use the time and how you divide it up. Every now and then it’s not such a bad idea to maybe go into town or do something like that. But yes, it is of course best for regeneration if you always go to bed at the same time, sleep late, train and then go back to bed, do as little as possible and meet as few people as possible, because then the risk of infection is there again. That means it’s a bit like a nomadic life, or like a monk. But in the end you do it because you want to be good.
Sports show: Was there ever a moment in your first World Cup year when you thought: Oh man, this is getting too much for me?
Leonhard Pfund: I think they happen more often. If you’re fit, it’s relatively easy and fun. But when you don’t feel so good, it’s really hard. You torture yourself and think: I just don’t have it and the others are better. When will this finally be over?
Leonhard Pfund, 22-year-old biathlete
Sports show: Let’s look to the future – your predictions for the next World Cup winter. Who will be the overall World Cup winner and who will be the overall World Cup winner?
Leonhard Pfund: For men I say: Tommaso Giacomel. And with women… (thinks for a long time). I would say one of the Öbergs. I say, Hanna Öberg does that.
Sports show: Where does Leo Pound end up?
Leonhard Pfund🙁laughs) I’ll be 18 next year. Or no, I’ll say 20. Of course there’s always room for improvement, but 20th place would be very, very good. Of course I would also be happy if it was 30th place. I don’t think I can expect too much now.
Of course, my first goal is to even be there in the World Cup. That I can start continuously. It’s not that easy now because we still have good competition in the team. I have to assert myself first.
The complete interview with Leonhard Pfund can be found in the current podcast episode. In it he talks, among other things, about his training preferences, detailed differences between Norway and Germany in daily work and the support of teammate David Zobel in getting started in the World Cup.
