PHOTO: Bildbyrån
Hanna Öberg was already on the world stage when little sister Elvira Öberg broke through.
Which was not entirely easy was older sister.
– I didn’t need to include that in the calculations before, says Hanna Öberg to SVT.
Hanna Öberg, 27, had great success as a junior, before she stepped up to the World Cup in 2016. At the end of the season, she was named “Female Rookie of the Year” by the International Biathlon Union. A year later, Hanna won her first Olympic gold in Pyeongchang and success was a fact.
Öberg’s difficulties
In the winter of 2019, another Öberg entered the world scene, little sister Elvira Öberg. Then she made her World Cup debut, and a little over a year later it was time for her WC debut. Two years later, she left the Olympics with three medals, and it was clear that both Öberg sisters were to be reckoned with.
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But suddenly having to share the limelight with a little sister was not entirely comfortable at first, says Hanna Öberg.
– We have a very nice relationship, but I would say that it was a big strain on it when she came up maybe two years ago. That summer she started to get really strong in training and it went very quickly from being a bit behind to her becoming strong and almost the strongest at all sessions, says older sister Öberg to SVT.
Favored by Elvira Öberg
It was a big adjustment for Hanna with Elvira’s progress.
– Then it was a bit like this, “I have to deal with this, being beaten by my little sister”. I didn’t need to include that in the calculations before.
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However, Elvira believes that the rivalry between them has also benefited the sisters, especially herself.
– We spar with each other an incredible amount. I have had the privilege of being Hanna’s little sister, and she has had all these successes early on and shown what level she has. I’ve had the opportunity to be able to chase it all, all the time, and it’s really been a key for me that I’ve gotten to where I am already now, says Elvira.
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