Marlene Fichtner is looking forward to her home race.

From the tissue marathon to the home race

The 21-year-old German biathlete Marlene Fichtner has impressively shown in recent weeks that she is ready to establish herself among the world elite. After a cold at the turn of the year, she is now back in time for the IBU Cup at home.

09 January 2025

From: sn

Fichtner wrote on Instagram: "A few beautiful kilometers of snow, several raclette rides and unfortunately also a lot of tissues later, tomorrow we're finally back at the start of the home IBU Cup."

The Traunstein native, who celebrated her World Cup debut in Hochfilzen in December, had to take a break over the New Year after a cold. But she is back in the starting blocks in time for the IBU Cup in Arber. Various competitions in the second highest biathlon series will take place in the Bavarian Forest from Thursday to Sunday.

Eventful months for the young athlete

In mid-December, Fichtner's big dream came true: for the first time, she was allowed to represent the German team at a World Cup. Despite the nervousness that comes with such a milestone, she put in a solid performance in Austria. She competed in place of Johanna Puff, who was unable to compete due to illness, and proved that she is capable of performing on the big stage.

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A post shared by Marlene Fichtner (@marlene.fchtnr)

Fichtner already showed in November that she is on a steep rise. At the IBU Cup in Norway, she celebrated a victory in the pursuit and a second place in the sprint. Her flawless shooting in the pursuit in particular impressed fans and coaches alike.

Fichtner's path to the top of the world

The 21-year-old, who was born in Traunstein, has been closely involved with winter sports since her youth. She has worked her way up step by step through the IBU Cup, always impressing with her strength in shooting and her endurance on the track. Her most recent successes and her jump into the World Cup mark important milestones on her way to the top of the world.

Now the next highlight is on the agenda for Marlene Fichtner: the home IBU Cup at the Grosser Arber. After the illness and a short recovery period, she is motivated to show her potential again in front of her home crowd. It will be exciting to see how the young athlete develops in the coming races.