Regina OJA

Historical Results

Cooking, baking, hiking

Athlete, Student

Studying Scandinavian studies at University of Tartu since 2017.

Fiance, Kalev Ermits (engaged 2021). Father, Kristjan Oja. Mother, Raguell Rohtvaeli. Two siblings including older brother, Mattias (social media manager).

Estonian, English, Swedish

Voru Biathlon

National: Fiodor Svoboda (BLR)

Fiance Kalev Ermits (Biathlon): Two-time Estonian Olympian (2014-18), finishing 13th at the PyeongChang 2018 relay. Six World Championship appearances from 2015-21, with two top-40 individual results. Competed on the World Cup from 2013, with a career-best finish of 11th in February 2016. Multiple Estonian and one-time Finnish national champion.

Father Kristjan Oja (Biathlon): Finished 57th in the individual at the Albertville 1992 Olympic Winter Games. Competed on the World Cup from 1990-93. IBU Cup race director since 2018.

Mother Raguell Rohtvaeli (Biathlon): Gold and bronze medallist at the 1990 Biathlon National Championships and youth relay champion of Estonian SSR in 1989. Head of the Estonian National Biathlon Federation from 2007-10.

Older brother Mattias Oja (Football): Played defence until 2018 for different clubs in Estonia, primarily for Joku VK.

Cross-country skiing: Finished 16th in the relay at the 2011 World Junior Championships in Otepaeae. Estonian national sprint champion in 2019. Competed in Scandinavian Cup races in Estonia from 2011-12, and FIS-sanctioned races in 2013 while studying in Sweden.

2013 IBU Cup in Idre (Sprint, 97th, 92nd)
2016 World Cup in Ruhpolding (Relay - 21st)

2017

As a child, she participated in gymnastics, dance, athletics and swimming, before she started cross-country skiing. At age 14 she tried shooting competitions during summer but continued to focus on cross-country skiing. She started biathlon at age 16, and when it was no longer possible to commute between the two sports, she ultimately chose biathlon.

Both parents were biathletes. She is fascinated by unpredictability and excitement, as well as by merging the physical and mental sides and finding harmony between them.

Compete at the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games. "The Olympics are something that has always been a very unique event and a great symbol of all sports. When I started training more seriously, I started to dream bigger, among other things, that one day I would compete in the Olympics. I really want to get out there, but at the same time I want to feel strong when I get there, knowing that I have done enough work and are ready for it." (sportland.ee, 2020)

Going to Ruhpolding for a training camp instead of staying in Otepaeae. "I felt very strongly that this was something I wanted to do. I considered for a long time whether it was not such an easy decision to go and train alone, because it is not easy either. At the same time, these conditions and all this situation outweighed the negative. At the beginning of the summer, I really felt that if I had this opportunity, I would regret not taking this opportunity." (sport.err.ee, 17 Nov 2020)

Her first World Cup podium, after finishing second in the Pokljuka single mixed relay in January 2020, with partner Rene Zahkna. "We had a long-awaited result, and I think we felt we could do it. But it is a different matter to think about it if it is actually happening and I think it may have happened a little earlier than we would have thought. It certainly gave a lot now for the future, it is no longer just an idea that maybe we can succeed, but we really know we can do it. In that sense, it certainly gives me confidence, and I felt stronger and better. This result went on many times and many people noticed it." (sport.err.ee, 17 Nov 2020)

Biathlete Magdalena Neuner (GER), Vancouver 2010 dual Olympic gold medallist and 12-time world champion.

"You don't meet people by accident." (Twitter)

Estonia Best Female Skier (2020)
Voru County Best Female Athlete (2019)