Erik LESSER

Germany
Biathlon
17 May 1988
33
Male
SUHL
 
German Democratic Republic
OBERHOF
 
Germany

Events and Medals

Discipline Event Rank Medal
BTH Biathlon Men's 20km Individual 67
Men's 4x7.5km Relay
GER
Germany
 4

Schedule

Start Time Location Event Status
Zhangjiakou National Biathlon Centre
Men's 20km Individual
Finished
Zhangjiakou National Biathlon Centre
Men's 4x7.5km Relay
Finished

Biographical Information

Highlights

:

Historical Results

Olympic Games
RankEventYearLocation
24 × 7.5 kilometres Relay2014Sochi, RUS
220 kilometres2014Sochi, RUS
3Men's 4 × 7.5 kilometres Relay2018PyeongChang, KOR
4Mixed 2 × 6 kilometres and 2 × 7.5 kilometres Relay2018PyeongChang, KOR
4Men's 15 kilometres Mass Start2018PyeongChang, KOR
9Men's 20 kilometres2018PyeongChang, KOR
11Men's 10 kilometres Sprint2018PyeongChang, KOR
11Men's 12.5 kilometres Pursuit2018PyeongChang, KOR
1612.5 kilometres Pursuit2014Sochi, RUS
2110 kilometres Sprint2014Sochi, RUS
2615 kilometres Mass Start2014Sochi, RUS
World Championships
RankEventYearLocation
1Men's 4x7.5km Relay2015Kontiolahti, FIN
1Men's 12.5km Pursuit2015Kontiolahti, FIN
2Single Mixed Relay2020Antholz-Anterselva, ITA
2Men's 4x7.5km Relay2019Oestersund, SWE
2Men's 4x7.5km Relay2016Oslo, NOR
3Men's 4x7.5km Relay2020Antholz-Anterselva, ITA
3Men's 4x7.5km Relay2013Nove Mesto na Morave, CZE
4Single Mixed Relay2019Oestersund, SWE
4Men's 20km Individual2017Hochfilzen, AUT
4Men's 4x7.5km Relay2017Hochfilzen, AUT
5Men's 10km Sprint2015Kontiolahti, FIN
5Men's 15km Mass Start2013Nove Mesto na Morave, CZE
7Men's 4x7.5km Relay2021Pokljuka, SLO
7Mixed Relay2021Pokljuka, SLO
7Single Mixed Relay2021Pokljuka, SLO
7Men's 12.5km Pursuit2016Oslo, NOR
7Men's 20km Individual2016Oslo, NOR
8Men's 10km Sprint2019Oestersund, SWE
11Men's 12.5km Pursuit2019Oestersund, SWE
11Men's 20km Individual2019Oestersund, SWE
12Men's 10km Sprint2013Nove Mesto na Morave, CZE
14Men's 15km Mass Start2016Oslo, NOR
14Men's 12.5km Pursuit2013Nove Mesto na Morave, CZE
17Men's 15km Mass Start2015Kontiolahti, FIN
18Men's 20km Individual2015Kontiolahti, FIN
19Men's 10km Sprint2016Oslo, NOR
21Men's 15km Mass Start2017Hochfilzen, AUT
27Men's 15km Mass Start2019Oestersund, SWE
28Men's 12.5km Pursuit2017Hochfilzen, AUT
34Men's 20km Individual2013Nove Mesto na Morave, CZE
37Men's 10km Sprint2017Hochfilzen, AUT
66Men's 10km Sprint2021Pokljuka, SLO
World Cup
RankEventSeason
5Men's Mass Start2016/17
5Men's Pursuit2014/15
6Men's Mass Start2017/18
7Men's Individual2014/15
8Men's Individual2018/19
9Men's Pursuit2015/16
10Men's Total2016/17
10Men's Pursuit2016/17
10Men's Total2014/15
10Men's Sprint2012/13
11Men's Total2017/18
11Men's Individual2016/17
12Men's Sprint2014/15
13Men's Sprint2017/18
13Men's Mass Start2012/13
13Men's Individual2012/13
14Men's Sprint2016/17
14Men's Total2015/16
15Men's Sprint2020/21
15Men's Sprint2015/16
16Men's Pursuit2020/21
16Men's Total2020/21
16Men's Individual2015/16
16Men's Total2012/13
17Men's Sprint2018/19
17Men's Mass Start2014/15
18Men's Mass Start2015/16
19Men's Mass Start2020/21
20Men's Individual2020/21
21Men's Pursuit2017/18
23Men's Total2018/19
23Men's Pursuit2018/19
23Men's Individual2013/14
25Men's Sprint2013/14
28Men's Total2013/14
28Men's Pursuit2012/13
31Men's Individual2017/18
31Men's Pursuit2013/14
32Men's Mass Start2019/20
35Men's Mass Start2013/14
41Men's Individual2019/20
44Men's Mass Start2018/19
52Men's Pursuit2011/12
59Men's Total2019/20
65Men's Total2011/12
65Men's Pursuit2010/11
75Men's Sprint2019/20
75Men's Sprint2011/12
91Men's Total2010/11
98Men's Sprint2010/11
:

Lessi

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Cycling, football, reading, video games, dog training

:

Athlete, Sports soldier

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Partner, Nadine Neuber (lighting designer). Daughter, Anouk (born January 2019). Younger siblings, Sandra and Pele.

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German, English

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SV Eintracht Frankenhain (Grafenroda, GER)

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National: Mark Kirchner (GER)

:

Grandfather Axel Lesser (Cross-country skiing): Three-time Olympian for the German Democratic Republic (1968-1976). Relay silver medallist at the 1970 World Championships in Vysoke Tatry.

Sister Sandra Lesser (Biathlon): National junior level biathlete, retiring in 2012.

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Cross-country skiing: Competed at Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics in the 50km Mass Start Free (42nd).

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2009 IBU Cup in Ridnaun (Individual - 1st, Sprint - 1st, Pursuit - 1st)
2010 World Cup in Kontiolahti (Mixed Relay - 2nd, Sprint - 44th, Pursuit - 51st)

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2019: Right clavicle fracture while mountain biking, requiring surgery.

December 2018: Back problems caused him to miss the World Cup races in Nove Mesto and Ruhpolding a month later.

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2007

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Began cross-country skiing at age six with SWV Goldlauter before starting biathlon at age 13, after entering the sport gymnasium in Oberhof, inspired by his family and watching the sport on television. (skideutschland.de, June 2020)

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Achieve a better Olympic performance at Beijing 2022. (sportschau.de, 20 Mar 2021)

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Incorporated Pilates into his training to help with his back pain, after receiving the suggestion from two-time Olympic cross-country skiing silver medallist Axel Teichmann (GER). (Biathlon World Magazine, Issue 57)

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Winning individual silver at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games.

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Three-time cross-country skiing Olympian and grandfather, Axel Lesser (GDR). Eight-time Olympic biathlon gold medallist and 20-times world Champion, Ole Einar Bjoerndalen (NOR). (oberfreiepresse.de, 13 Feb 2013; eriklesser.de, 2016)

:

"Keep calm and carry on." (Biathlon World Magazine, Issue 57)

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Thuringia Sportsman of the Year (2015)
Silver Leaf (2014)

General Interest

UPCOMING GOLD
In February 2020, the International Biathlon Union (IBU) disqualified Evgeny Ustyugov (RUS) after a re-test of samples from 2013 revealed the presence of oxandrolone. As a result, Ustyugov was stripped of all his results from the 2013-14 season and was disqualified from all five events in which he competed at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games. His relay disqualification cost Russia the gold medal. As of May 2021, no upgrade of medals has been announced by the IOC.

PODCAST
Since September 2019 he has produced the podcast, The Biathlon Double Room, with recently retired biathlete Arnd Peiffer (GER). Lesser used to share a double room with the five-time world champion and Olympic gold medallist, during the season.

POST-CAREER PLANS
Planning on taking his coaching C license soon. Hopes to compete in the annual Cape Epic race in South Africa, an eight-day/700km mountain bike race. (Biathlon World Magazine, Issue 57)

© Data by Sports Data Warehouse

Milestones

Two-time Olympian. Was the most successful German biathlete at Sochi 2014 with two silver medals (individual, relay). Finished 3.5 seconds behind gold medallists Russian Federation in the relay, with medals yet to be redistributed after Evgeny Ustyugov's (RUS) disqualification for doping.

Seven World Championship medals in seven successive appearances (2013-2021), including dual gold medals in 2015 (pursuit, relay).

World Cup career-high 10th in 2014/15 (again in 2016/17), including fifth overall in the pursuit. One individual World Cup victory at the Ruhpolding mass start in January 2016, defeating Martin Fourcade (FRA) by 9.8 seconds. Has nine individual podium finishes, along with his 22 relay podiums (three wins). Has 10 IBU Cup career wins.

Three-time successive European Championship relay gold medalist (2010-2012), with individual medals in pursuit (silver 2010) and individual (bronze 2012).

Junior World Championship relay gold medallist in 2009 (Canmore), defeating Russian Federation by over three minutes. Added a bronze medal in the individual.
Legend
:
Gold Medal Event
Content 1 (removed through CDN)
Content 2 (removed through CDN).
Timing and scoring provided by OMEGA. Results powered by Atos