Tiril Eckhoff can run faster than almost any other biathlete. That’s not possible at the moment, she had health problems. Just like her teammate Marte Olsbu Röiseland. Both are missing now.
Norway’s best biathletes are doomed to watch when the new season starts today (1.15 p.m. in the Sportschau live stream) with the individual. Tiril Eckhoff and Marte Olsbu Röiseland have been struggling with health problems in recent months. It was so bad for radiant woman Eckhoff that she even thought about ending her career and took a break until further notice.
At the closing party in March after the season finale in Oslo, more than 13 athletes were infected with the corona virus, ten from the Norwegian team alone – including Eckhoff and Röiseland.
Problems after covid disease
Eckhoff then suffered from severe insomnia, which had a massive impact on her life. “I had problems after the Covid disease. I wouldn’t even wish that on my worst enemy,” she said of her insomnia on the Norwegian broadcaster TV2. She didn’t listen to her body and slipped into a minor life crisis. “I did yoga, meditated and tried everything. And then I thought a lot about whether Corona will be the one that ends Tiril Eckhoff’s career.” She is training again, but competitions are out of the question at the moment, as the Norwegian association recently announced.
It is unclear whether the 32-year-old two-time Olympic champion will return this season – or ever again. “Now it’s not just sport that counts, but that Tiril is doing well in normal life,” said her coach Patrick Oberegger.
Two infections in the last six months
Röiseland also had problems after her corona infection before she also contracted shingles during preparation in September. The infection seemed to be over, but then came a setback and she had to take a complete break for several weeks. “After two infections in the last six months, I couldn’t train the way I wanted and my body can only tolerate short and light training sessions at the moment,” said the 31-year-old, explaining her end for the start of the season.