Photo: Bildbyrån
Stina Nilsson’s investment in biathlon lasted four years.
Now she has shifted her focus to long-distance running – something that Elvira Öberg thinks is quite nice.
– They can’t just come in and dominate right away, she says in SVT’s program Kallprat.
When Stina Nilsson31, chose to switch from extremely successful cross-country skier to inexperienced biathlete four years ago, no one understood anything. How could she throw away such a fine career? It didn’t quite go as Stina had planned either, once she changed sports. Therefore, it was not so surprising when this spring she decided to do something else… again.
Elvira Öberg’s words about Stina Nilsson
Someone who understands why Nilsson gave up biathlon and is now looking back towards what she is really best at Elvira Öberg25. In SVT’s winter talk show Kallprat, with the journalist Johan Kücükaslan as presenter, she may respond to a statement with either “yes” or “no”. It is about Stina Nilsson and her biathlon career.
– Was there any compensation for the biathlon that it did not go so well for Stina Nilsson when she chose to bet? If she had dominated, it might have lowered the sport’s credibility a bit. “It’s just taking someone from cross-country skiing”. Stina is an example, we have seen other cross-country skiers too, says Kücükaslan in the SVT program.
READ MORE: The internal struggle in the national biathlon team after Stina Nilsson left
– Yes and no, I would still say. And it really has nothing to do with Stina. The thing is, when you come from Sweden, biathlon is the B sport. Especially when you’re in high school. You socialize very closely with cross-country skiers. Everyone has the subconscious perception that biathlon is a B sport. If you go back a few years, it was like this: If you didn’t get into cross country, you could go biathlon, because they wanted people, says Elvira Öberg.
Öberg likes that Stina Nilsson invests in long-distance running
Her reasoning is still based on the fact that she thinks it’s nice that talented cross-country skiers can’t just change sports and find success right away. Although it is not directed at Stina Nilsson as a person, Elvira still feels that it is good for the sport of biathlon that just anyone cannot come in and master shooting in a short time.
– And to still get to see very talented cross-country skiers… They can’t just come in and dominate straight away. Then absolutely… if you’re a good cross-country skier, you kind of have half… Skiing is a big part of biathlon, but it’s not all. And this shooting thing is harder than many people think, I’d say. So that… both, she says.
READ MORE: Elvira Öberg wants to go to a duel against Frida Karlsson
Stina Nilsson’s official long-distance debut takes place next Saturday, December 14, in Bad Gastain, Austria. It’s the World Cup premiere. The first of 14 sub-competitions within the World Cup this year.
What do you think of Elvira Öberg’s statement? Is there anything in what she says? Feel free to comment!
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