Johannes Lukas is one of the most sought-after coaches in biathlon. At just 25, he became Sweden’s national coach. But biathlon is not his only passion.
Who can claim to be a coach at both the Summer Olympics and the Winter Games? Johannes Lukas did – and that at the age of only 28. Born in Munich, he has been the coach of the Swedish biathlon team since 2019, when he was only 25.
He also looks after the German sailor Tina Lutz. Lukas won the silver medal with her at the Tokyo Games. “You can transfer a lot from the summer games to the winter games. Especially when I think about the time change or the quarantine rules,” says Lukas in an interview with t-online, citing an advantage in preparing for the winter games.
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Youth academy from 1860 as the starting signal
Lukas used to be a competitive athlete himself. But due to numerous injuries, he had to end his active career at the age of 21. After studying sports science at the Technical University of Munich, he completed a number of coaching courses and became a personal trainer, among other things.
His first station in professional sports was not in biathlon. Lukas worked in football – as an athletics and coordination trainer in the youth academy of TSV 1860 Munich. For the 28-year-old, the most popular sport in Germany is still interesting today. He does not rule out a comeback. “Football is always interesting for me. I plan to do an internship in the sport next summer,” said Lukas. He leaves it open in which area a return could take place.
Bayern’s Julian Nagelsmann is one of the most sought-after football coaches in Germany. (Source: Sven Simon/imago images)
Due to his young age, affinity for football and his origins, he is reminiscent of Bayern Munich coach Julian Nagelsmann. Nagelsmann also used to work in the junior division of the Munich Lions. At the age of 28 he took on his first coaching job in professional football at TSG Hoffenheim. Both are young coaches who are very successful in their sport.
“Can ski with my athletes”
“One big advantage is that I’m physically quite fit. This means I can go out on skis with my athletes. I can first test the route myself and then tell the athletes what to look out for,” explains Lukas.
His work ethic is also very similar to Nagelsmann’s: “I’m innovative and rarely satisfied. When I do training exercises and they don’t work, I’m very self-critical and want to do better.”
Wolfgang Pichler, former Swedish national coach and also a German compatriot, is regarded as a supporter of Johannes Lukas. (Source: Sven Simon/imago images)
Lukas got into biathlon through an internship. He completed this with his predecessor, the German ex-Sweden coach Wolfgang Pichler. In 2015 Lukas then signed on as an assistant coach with the Scandinavians. “I’ve learned the basic virtues that you should have as a trainer. I’m thinking, for example, of motivation or punctuality. The wolf was always a great role model for me,” says the Munich details, which he learned from the biathlon icon Pichler was allowed to learn.
Lukas has been the first coach of the Swedish women’s and men’s teams since 2019. At the 2021 World Championships on Pokljuka (Slovenia), Lukas and his team set a Swedish medal record. Athletes in yellow and blue stood on the podium a total of six times. Things are going really well for the Scandinavians again this year. Mona Brorsson’s third place in the individual race in Antholz was Sweden’s 21st podium this winter.
Mona Brorsson: The Swedish biathlete impressed in the individual race in Antholz and took third place. (Source: GEPA pictures/imago images)
“This year we exceeded our goals ourselves. I didn’t expect that before the season,” admits the coach. There is every reason for Lukas to travel optimistically to the Olympic Games in China (February 4th to 20th). There is a clear goal from the association: “We want to win at least one medal for men and women,” says the ambitious coach. He classifies the target as “realistic”.
Will Lukas soon be a DSV coach?
Because Johannes Lukas comes from Germany and has been working successfully for years, the question arises as to whether he could imagine becoming a German biathlon coach one day. “I’m German, at the age of 28 all doors are open to me – whether it’s biathlon in Germany or even another sport. I’m very open about it, but I also feel very comfortable at the moment,” the biathlon trainer concludes nothing out.
First of all, for him it’s all about concentrating on the Olympics and playing successful games with his team.