A great era comes to an end on Sunday: the brothers Johannes Thingnes and Tarjei Bö end their career. Ole Einar Björndalen cannot understand that.
With Ole Einar Björndalen there would never have been this career end. “He’s still so young”said Norway’s biathlon icon about his compatriot Johannes Thingnes Bö. On the face of the now 51-year-old, the lack of understanding can be found that Bö is over just 31 years old.
Even the prospects for further Olympic medals in just under a year could not convince Bös to continue his career. And so from Friday (1:20 p.m. in the sports show) there will be an emotional farewell to the best biathlete in history – of all people on the home stalks.
Successes for eternity
Tens of thousands of fans will make their way to the Mecca of Nordic skiing on their way from the heart of Oslos on the three competition days from the heart of Oslos to say goodbye to Johannes Thingnes Bö and his five-year brother Tarjei Bö.
The younger World Cup gold won 23 times and won five Olympic victories, so far there are 90 career victories. Only Björndalen has 95 more. Twelve World Cup titles and three Olympic wins went to Tarjei. Both shaped their sport for more than a decade and will not only leave a big gap in Norway.
“Almost doesn’t have to train to be number one”
“It is not enough to continue for another year”Bö had said in January when he surprisingly announced for many of tears in Ruhpolding that his unique career would end up for a year than he had originally planned.
It is by no means about his performance, because Bö would have collected medals again at the 2026 Olympics in 2026. He already got eight of them. “I know that I could be able to win more often because I have an incredible gift. I almost don’t have to train to be number one “said Bö about himself.
But there is a lack of motivation. The drag in summer, the endless training kilometers and the many days far away from his family – record hunter Bö no longer feels like that. “It takes you and the people around you a lot to stay number one in your sport“, He said. The five -time overall World Cup winner is looking forward to the time with his family. In addition to Ms. Hedda, the children Gustav and Sofia are also waiting.
A picture from 2016: Johannes Thingnes Bö and brother Tarjei have been part of the top of the world in the past decade.
A successor is already ready
“The next races and points are not quite as important if you have a family”said Bö. And yet: Actually, he wanted to say goodbye to his home audience with the sixth overall World Cup victory. But that shouldn’t succeed because Bö was missing sick at the World Cup in Slovenia last weekend. The long-term permanent winner for a long time flew home, relaxed on a wellness weekend in order to be able to come back again.
The gap to compatriot Sturla Holm Laegreid is 104 points before his last sprint on Friday. A maximum of 270 points will be distributed in three races by Sunday, but Laegreid will not miss the lead.
The 28-year-old is considered the successor to Bö, further Norwegian talents are waiting for their chance. The weakening German men are unlikely to benefit from the withdrawal of the Bö-Brüder, they are currently too far away from the top, which primarily includes the French around Eric Perrot, Emilia Jacquelin and Quentin Fillon Maillet.
Bö shifted the limits of what is feasible
Biathlon will be “Certainly go on, but it will be different”, said the German sports director Felix Bitterling. The sport loses your face and must first find a worthy successor. “He is absolutely unique “said brother Tarjei Bö: “What should I say? He has an original violence.” The gifted cross -country skier Johannes also postponed the limits of what is feasible and is largely responsible for the fact that much faster and with much more risk is shot than that was the case before his time.
Bö is “Runner like from another star”, also said Bitterling. The eight -time Olympic champion Björndals, who was recently replaced by Johannes Thingnes Bö at the World Cup in Lenzerheide in February, also called him a record world champion “A legend” and pushed after: “If he would continue, he would have broken all my records.”
Björndals was still with 42 world champions
But even if Björndals is the great model of Bö, it will no longer happen. Bö wants distance from the biathlon, but could imagine returning later as a TV expert. Björndalen is already doing this job. Incidentally, he only resigned at the age of 44 and managed to stay successful until old age. In 2016 he won his last World Cup title with 42-alongside the Bö-Brüder with the season on the Holmenkollen.