Sweden’s biathlon star Elvira Öberg has hinted that she may end the 2022/23 World Cup season early. The reason given by the 24-year-old was physical problems that have plagued her since an illness during the World Cup in Oberhof.
Her body is not giving her the feedback she expects at the moment, Öberg said in an interview with the Swedish news agency “TT”.
“I don’t want to start just to finish. I want to be able to do myself justice and feel like I’m doing well,” said the Swede, who competed at the World Championships caught a cold in Oberhof, the consequences of which she also suffered from at the World Cup in Nove Mesto.
Even on Wednesday, she questioned whether Öberg would start in Östersund’s individual on Thursday. However, her name did appear in the official start list for the race. Now she hinted that the race could possibly be the last test before she pulls the ripcord and ends the biathlon season early.
“If my body feels like it did last weekend, it doesn’t make sense to start any race. Unfortunately, that’s how it is,” Öberg emphasized that she didn’t want to make a bad decision that would make the situation even worse.
The Swede has already given up her primary goal, winning the overall World Cup, five individual races before the end of the season. Although she is currently “only” 158 points behind Julia Simon, “if nothing out of the ordinary happens, it will be extremely difficult,” said Öberg in view of the only 450 points left.
In the meantime she has accepted that the big crystal ball is practically out of reach. “Although it was hard to realize that I will not achieve the goal I set myself after the ruined World Cup,” said the disappointed Swede.