Is biathlon losing two of its biggest stars? After the last Olympic race in Beijing, the two exceptional Norwegian runners Marte Olsbu Roiseland and Tiril Eckhoff left their future open. Neither of them wanted to rule out a resignation.
With three gold, one silver and three bronze medals, Marte Olsbu Roiseland and Tiril Eckhoff are by far the most successful athletes at the Olympic Games in Beijing. How long the fans will be able to admire the two exceptional talents is anyone’s guess. After the final mass start on Friday, they were rather cautious about their sporting future.
“I’m slowly getting older,” said three-time Olympic champion Roiseland when she was asked about her future by the Norwegian TV station “Discovery”. She will now think a little more often about what she wants to do in the future, added the 31-year-old.
“I haven’t decided yet. It’s hard to say whether I’m sure or not,” said Roiseland, who said she recently “put her future plans on hold” and only after the last World Cup race this season want to think.
“These were probably my last Olympic Games. I only focused on these Games. I had a long-term plan, it was a long way to get here and I was looking forward to this for many years,” she described her preparation, which ultimately gave her three gold and won two bronze medals.
Team colleague Tiril Eckhoff (31) was similarly cautious about her future. The three-time medal winner from Beijing said in an interview with the Norwegian TV station “NRK” when asked how things will continue: “We’ll see. Time will tell.”