The German biathlon talent Lisa Spark was recently named Junior Athlete of the Year by the German Sports Aid Foundation. The young ski hunter follows in the big footsteps that she was now confronted with.
Before Spark, two biathletes, Magdalena Neuner (2007/2008) and Laura Dahlmeier (2013), received the prestigious award. Both subsequently dominated the sport and are among the most successful DSV skiers of all time.
“These are great role models for me. Both became multiple Olympic champions after the election! That’s how I see what’s possible,” Spark commented on her well-known legacy in an interview with “Deutsche Sporthilfe”. “I want to emulate them and become as good as them. My goal is definitely the Olympic Games.”
She is well aware that she will be confronted with “very big footprints”, but receiving the award before the new season is an “encouragement to get even better and to train even more”.
Biathlon European Championship as the number one goal of the season
The biathlon winter starts at the end of November in Kontiolathi, Finland, but it is doubtful that Spark will then be part of the German World Cup team. According to the 22-year-old, the main goal is the European Championships in Lenzerheide. There she wants to be in the top 10, says Spark.
The talent from SC Traunstein is definitely flirting with his debut in the World Cup: “If everything goes well, I want to get a taste of the World Cup this season – otherwise definitely in the next few years.”
While Spark has yet to prove herself at the elite level, she already has some success at junior level. At the Junior World Championships in Soldier Hollow in 2022, Spark won gold in the individual, silver in the relay and bronze in the sprint. She also won bronze in the pursuit at the European Championships in Pokljuka.