Ingrid Landmark Tandrevold has had enough. © APA/afp / MARCO BERTORELLO

Biathlete rants: “It’s all about the clicks”

As a professional athlete, you're not just a top athlete, but also a public figure. One of the best biathletes struggles with this.

22 April 2025

From: do

For Norwegian biathlete Ingrid Landmark Tandrevold, last season was marked by health problems and sporting setbacks. She had to undergo surgery after a cardiac arrhythmia, things didn't go as hoped at the World Championships, and a tonsillectomy ended her season prematurely.

In addition to these challenges, Tandrevold was particularly stressed by the way she was treated by the media. In a podcast, she explained that many journalists show little consideration for her feelings and are primarily interested in headlines: "Sometimes I feel like they don't see me as a person, but only in the clicks they can get," the 27-year-old said.

The Norwegian has endured a difficult winter. © APA/afp / MINNA RAITAVUO

A formative experience for her was the World Championships in Lenzerheide. After a difficult race, her mother ran over barriers to comfort her. Reporters immediately tried to get her to give an interview as well. "It was too much for me. I wanted to boycott them, but I didn't have the courage."

Since then, Tandrevold has been more conscious in her interactions with the media: "I try to give politically correct and boring answers, even if that's difficult for me." The Norwegian no longer wants to give journalists any grounds for attack.