The Olympic champions Kati Wilhelm (46), Andrea Henkel (45), Sven Fischer (51) and Ole Einar Björndalen (49) are the first four members of a newly created Hall of Fame in biathlon.
Wilhelm, Henkel and Fischer from Thuringia as well as record world champion Björndalen from Norway were recognized by the board of the world association IBU “chosen for her exceptional achievements and achievements throughout her career”, said in a statement.
“All four athletes deserve this recognition for their incredible achievements”said IBU President Olle Dahlin. “They inspired us with their accomplishments and set the standard for countless athletes who have followed in their footsteps.”
All four together collected 17 gold medals at Olympic Games, 40 World Championship titles, 221 World Cup victories and ten overall World Cup victories. The most successful athlete of the quartet is Björndalen, who now works as a TV expert for Norwegian television, with 20 world championship titles and eight Olympic gold medals.