Laura Dahlmeier shaped German biathlon like no other until the end of her career in 2019. Quite a few wish the 28-year-old would return to DSV and start a career as a coach. Now Dahlmeier has spoken about her plans for the future.
Laura Dahlmeier has a wealth of experience in biathlon: the skier, who was born in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, won an Olympic gold medal twice and also won bronze once. In total, she brought home 15 World Championship medals, including seven gold ones, in her very successful biathlon career.
For the time being, however, she will not pass on her knowledge to the next winter sports generation, said Dahlmeier in an interview with “heimatsport.de“. Although it is “basically” nice to “be able to pass on experiences and not let them disappear in the basement”. But: “Currently I’m still in the process of finding my way. I have different projects, so I don’t think I’m going back right now.” But, she added, “Never say never.”
One of her goals is a degree in sports science. She is currently in her 6th semester studying at the Technical University of Munich.
Top-class sport sometimes also a “burden and a corset”
The former biathlete still likes to think back to her old life as a competitive athlete. “As everywhere in life, things have their positive and negative sides. I’m grateful for the time, I’ve been able to experience and see so much. Friendships have developed, I look back on them fondly. And sometimes I long for them too. “
Nevertheless, she “also knows what it takes to be at the top”. Top-class sport is also “an enormous burden” and “a corset”. As a biathlete, you already know in April “what the rest of the year has in store for you. I enjoy being much freer now”.
German biathlon sport: “The pressure doesn’t come from below”
Despite her retirement, the overall World Cup winner of the 2016/17 season is still following developments at DSV very closely. “You can already tell that the boys are stepping on the gas. But the German biathlon is in an intermediate phase, especially for the women. There are some established players who are doing their job, and there is not yet a lot of pressure from below. “
You now have to “introduce the youngsters step by step over the next few years. You shouldn’t expect miracles. You can’t pull a top athlete out of a hat, but when he’s there you have to see him and support him. But overall it will be not easy, because the international mail is quite busy”.