Two-time biathlon Olympic champion Tiril Eckhoff from Norway is taking a break from competition. This was announced by the Norwegian association a few weeks before the start of the new World Cup season in Kontiolahti, Finland. The 32-year-old recently "went through a difficult time".
The two-time Norwegian biathlon Olympic champion Tiril Eckhoff will neither train nor compete in the World Cup in the near future. The 32-year-old had recently gone through a challenging time and was not feeling well, the Norwegian Biathlon Federation said in a statement, according to the NTB news agency. She gets all the support she needs. In any case, the start of the season is out of the question. The Biathlon World Cup begins in just under four weeks in Kontiolahti, Finland.
The association left details about Eckhoff's situation open. She had already paused in the summer after her body had shown clear signs of exhaustion. It is not yet possible to say when she will return. Team manager Per Arne Botnan reported concerns about the health of the 32-year-old. "Things are not optimal as of today. We will continue to monitor the situation and see what happens in the future," said Botnan. Eckhoff is one of the most successful biathletes in her country. She has won eight Olympic medals and ten World Championship golds so far.
In Norway there is even speculation as to whether the superstar might even miss the rest of the season, including the World Cup at the end of February. Botnan fueled these concerns by not wanting to rule out Eckhoff's World Cup exit. "We take things as they come. At the moment it would not be appropriate to participate in competitions. But we have to reassess the situation over time and see how everything develops," explained the manager.
Eckhoff was initially infected with Corona at the World Cup final last season. The Norwegian was then plagued by severe insomnia, which made proper preparation impossible. The 32-year-old has not only missed the Summer World Cup in recent months, but also all of the Norwegian team's training camps.
