PHOTO: Bildbyrån
It was an unsuccessful start to the season for Stina Nilsson.
Now her place in the World Cup is in danger.
– It hangs by a sewing thread, says Stina to DN.
The biathlon season has officially started since the World Cup premiere took place over the weekend in Östersund. Here in Sweden, there are five competition days left in the week, before the tour moves on to Austria.
Nilsson’s fiasco
The World Cup started in the best possible way when Hanna Öberg and Sebastian Samuelsson took home the single mixed relay. But the rest of the competitions did not hold the same level from the Swedish side. In the mixed relay, the Swedish team came fourth, and in the distance races the best Swedes came in 15th place (Lynn Persson) and seventh place (Sebastian Samuelsson).
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But the biggest disappointment was Stina Nilssonwho ended up in 84th place after seven hurdles in the 15 kilometer distance.
– I think I felt the premiere nerves on the first prone shot. Then there was probably a slight lack of security in the pre-season. I haven’t been able to do the sessions I wanted, says Stina to DN.
Stina’s fear
Nilsson has suffered from both colds and corona during the pre-season. Because of that, she has missed several practices. The 30-year-old admits that this weekend’s defeat affects her confidence “quite a lot”, especially after the pre-season she has had. But Stina still tries to see the positive.
– Even if it doesn’t look like it, the ride was a step forward from (the Swedish premiere) in Idre. So regardless, it’s a curve that goes up, although it slopes very slowly upwards, says the native of Värmland, who had the 36th best ride time.
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Many young biathlon talents are waiting to make their debut in the World Cup. In Östersund, seven Swedish ladies compete, thanks to Tilda Johansson’s free place with her win in the IBU Cup. The same applies in Austria, but then the squad will be down to six skaters.
How sure is Stina Nilsson of a place in the World Cup going forward?
– Not at all sure. I shouldn’t be either. It hangs by sewing thread. One would have liked it to be a little more rooted, she says to the daily newspaper.
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READ MORE: Stina Nilsson’s brutally honest self-criticism ahead of the new season – now reveals the tough realization: “It’s so incredibly frustrating”
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