This is how the Swedes are shaking up the biathlon world

Brynje is a small hamlet in the Swedish province of Jämtland. It takes twenty minutes by car from Östersund towards Soleftea. Always go straight ahead until you reach the “Brynje” sign. After four kilometers the forest opens up. Pretty wooden houses are spread out in a clearing. Two farms fit seamlessly together. It is a perfect idyll. I always lived there during the Biathlon World Cup in Sweden. My hosts, who originally came from Stockholm and were now part-time farmers, converted an old pantry into a holiday cottage. Rustic, with an open fireplace. Pretty cool at four in the morning, but still very comfortable. And they also opened a pizzeria in an adjoining building, right next to the stable for the cows, which were sometimes outside even in the bitter cold. If they wanted to. The region of the Swedish biathlon stronghold Östersund. © Sven E. Hauschildt

The man of the house, who worked in the forest during the day, put on a white cap like the ones Italian pizzaioli like to wear. His wife, who ran the farm and sold her homemade bread in the area, helped him. If you were to look for a place like that, you wouldn't find it. It's a dream come true. Perfect for a group to let go and forget everyday life by the blazing wood fire of the pizza oven. I once told Wolfgang Pichler about this special stop and he promptly drove out to Brynje with the entire Swedish national biathlon team. They recharged their batteries there and recharged their batteries. Hanna Öberg, Mona Brorsson, Linn Persson, Peppe Femling, Jesper Nelin and Sebastian Samuelsson. A radical reconstruction Pichler knew the importance of group dynamic processes and it was also clear to him that everyday training at the national biathlon center in Östersund needed a break every now and then. Wolfgang Pichler, from Ruhpolding, is the most successful biathlon trainer in the world and if he is now faster than expected his heart attack, which brought him to the brink of death while racing his bike , recovered, then this is also due to the constant good news he receives about “his” Swedes. They have achieved ten podium places so far and are the team of the moment. Sweden is mentioned in the same breath as France and Norway. Pichler's seeds have sprouted. He consistently, even (almost) stubbornly, relied on youth when rebuilding in 2015, wanted to be successful at the World Championships in Östersund in 2019 and then won at the Olympic Games in South Korea a year earlier. At that time, a picture went around the world that showed Wolfgang Pichler with a well-known Swede next to him. It was King Carl XVI. Gustaf, the monarchical head of state.

Wolfgang Pichler is a legend in biathlon. © SID

But the real king at that point was Wolfgang Pichler, the unbending and uncomfortable coach who, despite the harshness with which he acted, always remained human. And he even chose his successor himself. Johannes Lukas from Munich, who once wanted to become a biathlete himself. But doctors told him early on that cartilage damage in his right knee would make a successful career impossible. Lukas reacted to the diagnosis, studied sports science and began an internship with Pichler. He did all sorts of jobs, did them to everyone's satisfaction and when Pichler quit as a biathlon coach and moved to the Swedish National Olympic Committee in order to contribute his experience on many levels, Lukas came into his position at the age of 25. Head coach in Sweden. “He brought a lot of variety to everyday training” Mona Brorsson about Pichler's successor Johannes Lukas Hanna Öberg is only two years older than Lukas, but she still raves about him. He is technically competent, shows leadership qualities and she couldn't imagine a better coach. Lukas stays in the background and lets the Swiss Jean-Marc Chabloz (men) and Johan Hagström (women) look through the telescope at the shooting range. Not that Lukas would shy away from publicity, but he doesn't need it. Wolfgang Pichler felt the same way. In the end he became more famous than his athletes. Lukas, of course, is someone who seems to come from the middle of the active people that he looks after and for which he now has responsibility. That has changed compared to Pichler, who could also be relentless. Mona Brorsson also praises the new guy. “He brought a lot of variety to everyday training,” she says.

The Swedish team looks like a happy group of students who are currently on a winter trip. And now Stina Nilsson will soon be joining us. The 27-year-old won five medals in cross-country skiing at the Olympic Games, including gold in the sprint in Pyeongchang. She is now practicing diligently with the small-caliber rifle under the instruction of Jean-Marc Chabloz in Östersund. Many are already talking about a new Magdalena Forsberg, who once switched from cross-country skiing to biathlon, won the overall World Cup six times and is now an idol and role model. The Swedish biathlon fairytale will certainly continue. And the spirit of Brynje holds his protective hand over this friendly group, which is an asset. In every relationship.

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This is how the Swedes are shaking up the biathlon world

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