Doro Wierer: Between preparations and future plans

The biathlon season ended in March. But anyone who thinks that winter sports enthusiasts are now putting their feet up is wrong. For Dorothea Wierer it's currently: running, sweating and getting in shape. In an interview, the South Tyrolean spoke about her preparation and her plans for the future.

June 18, 2023

From: do

Dorothea Wierer is currently continuing her preparation for the coming season in Fiemme Valley, together with part of the men's national team (Patrick Braunhofer, Elia Zeni, Tommaso Giacomel and Didier Bionaz). Italy Fund interviewed her to gather her impressions after the first few days of the ongoing training camp, which mainly focused on intensity, conditioning and running.

Doro emphasized that she feels very comfortable with her male training partners and enjoys the time with her colleagues: “We all get along very well. Nobody is afraid to speak up if something goes wrong. The boys work hard and are very motivated, which is why I really like it here with them.”

The South Tyrolean is one of the best biathletes in the world. © ANSA / MARTIN DIVISEK

When asked how the Niederrasner resident manages to stay focused throughout the long summer months, she replied: “Preparing for the new winter season is demanding, also because it is so hot at the moment. You have to keep your concentration high and it's difficult to get everything right. I think my motivation comes from last year's excellent results, otherwise I probably wouldn't be here. For me it always depends on how the last season went.”

“My motivation comes from last year’s excellent results, otherwise I probably wouldn’t be here.” Dorothea Wierer

Wierer's main goal was to maintain her top level, both physically and mentally: “The bottom line is that I have achieved everything that was possible in my career. My aim now is to maintain this level. We'll see, I'm not at 100 percent at the moment," the likeable South Tyrolean smiled into the camera.

She is not yet sure whether the 33-year-old will take part in any competitions in the near future: “I was invited to the City Biathlon in Wiesbaden, but I still have to decide whether and where I will take part. I also don't know yet whether (Denise) Hermann, (Marte Olsbu) Roiseland and (Tiril) Eckhoff will take part somewhere. If they hit me, I would look bad,” jokes Wierer.

Wierer wants to continue to be at the top of biathlon. © AFP / MICHAL CIZEK

Doro recently took part in a trainer course, but she still leaves it open what the future will hold for the biathlon star after her professional career: “The course was very nice and I really wanted to become a trainer especially for children. But I don't want to commit yet. Every experience I can gain now opens up possibilities for the future and helps me make decisions.