The rapid rise of Rebecca Passler

Did your call-up to the senior national team come as a surprise to you? “Absolutely yes. After my good performances in the winter, I expected to be promoted to the B team, but I never expected to be in the A team. Apparently my results and my consistency were rated very well by the coaches.”

Does that also mean a lot of pressure for you? “Not really, because it doesn’t matter which team you’re on. I just have to do my job well and be honest with myself. What other people think doesn’t really matter, I don’t put any pressure on myself, I don’t feel anything like that at home either.”

Speaking of which: What does your family look like, how did you get into biathlon? “I am the second of three daughters, so I am the sandwich child. I come from a very simple working class family from Antholz. My uncle is Johann Passler, my cousin Ralf was first a coach in my home valley, then in the state team. It would almost be strange in Antholz if a young person with this background didn't go to biathlon. And that’s how it was for me too.”

Did you have any role models in your career? “I have always admired Kaisa Mäkäräinen and Martin Fourcade. It’s a shame they both stopped.”

Otherwise they could soon be competing with you. How were you accepted into the A-Team? "Sincerely. I already knew Lisa Vittozzi through the Carabinieri sports group, but I was also welcomed with open arms by the others. And I’m pleased that things are always quite humorous in the team.”

The coaches follow the shooting like a hawk.

There will probably be a lot of talk among the A team about the upcoming Olympic Games. “We try to ignore this topic. I'm a realist and know that I might be able to compete in the World Cup. The Olympics could certainly be a goal, but it’s not a must.”

With you, long-time junior coach Mirco Romanin was promoted to the senior team. How important is that for you? "Very very important. Mirco knows me very well, I can really discuss anything with him. I also like the fact that the team is divided into two training groups, it makes it easier for me to find my own pace and gradually approach the big world of biathlon.”

How would you describe yourself as a biathlete? What are your strengths? “I think being a good standing shooter.”

You have already provided a second source of income with your training outside of sport. What was that exactly? “I completed my training as a beauty nurse. That was ideal for me. I was able to learn what I really like, continue to go to school in Brunico and train at home. Which I often only did in the evening, running with a headlamp. It was a tough time at times. But it was what I liked.”

You have won several medals at the junior level in recent years and you will still be a junior for two winters. What does that mean to you? “It’s a sign that you’re at the forefront among your classmates. The World Cup, even the IBU Cup, is something completely different. I think you shouldn't worry too much about it and always go your own way. Above all, you shouldn't put any pressure on yourself. Then the button opens more easily.”

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The rapid rise of Rebecca Passler

The news came as a surprise. Rebecca Passler, born in 2001, is promoted to the A team of the Italian biathlon after a sensational winter in the junior class. On the sidelines of the training camp in Martell, s+ from Antholz answered questions.

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