The whole biathlon world is waiting for this debut

A year ago, a report caused a stir in the winter sports scene: Stina Nilsson, a reigning Olympic cross-country skiing champion, was leaving her sport behind and switching to biathlon. It became clear relatively quickly that the Swede would not immediately compete with Dorothea Wierer & Co. - the change is too big. This year, Nilsson was mainly used in the IBU Cup, but is now getting a treat from her coaches: At the World Cup finals, Nilsson will be competing in the biathlon premier class for the first time. The 27-year-old is one of the most successful cross-country skiers in recent years: she became Olympic sprint champion in Pyeongchang in 2018, won a total of 23 World Cup races and a crystal ball. After her surprising switch to biathlon, the Swede posed a particular challenge when it came to shooting. In her debut season with the ski hunters, Nilsson was in action in the IBU Cup, the second highest racing series, where an eighth place in the pursuit in Brezno (Slovenia) is her best result. She also reached the podium in the relay – also in Brezno. Sometimes great, sometimes flop Nilsson achieved several top 30 placements, but she also completely failed in some competitions. In her very first biathlon race in Arber (Germany) she only finished in 99th place. In the last IBU Cup competition of the season in Obertilliach, she missed seven out of ten times in the sprint. But because no master has fallen from heaven yet and every beginning is difficult, Nilsson has to keep working. Before her, athletes had already made the leap from cross-country skiing to biathlon and are now big stars on the scene, such as the German Denise Herrmann. On Friday, Nilsson will be able to get a taste of the World Cup for the first time in the women's sprint. The biathlon world will watch closely when the 27-year-old from the Swedish village of Malung races across the trail and takes measurements at the shooting range.

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The whole biathlon world is waiting for this debut

The Biathlon World Cup is on the home stretch. The final competitions are taking place this weekend in Östersund, Sweden. For the first time, a special athlete will take to the big World Cup stage.

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