Dorothea WIERER

OLYMPIC STRUGGLES
Attributed flu-like symptoms to her poor individual performances at the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games, finishing the 10km pursuit, her best event, in 15th with five errors. Results gradually improved throughout the competition, culminating in a bronze medal in the mixed relay.

Following the pursuit she said, "I really suffered from the cold. They are very difficult conditions but I, in particular, suffered. Everything is in pain and I almost have cramp. I set off and I hadn’t warmed up properly and at the first polygon, I could no longer feel my fingers and I didn’t know if I was pulling the trigger or not." (thesun.co.uk, 13 Feb 2018)

CONSISTENT PERFORMER
Despite consistent results in the World Cup, she failed to win an individual World Championship until 2019, winning the mass start in Oestersund. "I was never the athlete who was really good when it was a big event. Never. And I don't know why. I was more the athlete who was stable the whole year. Maybe it's because I was afraid. Before the races, I don't sleep. It's like a small kid, you know. But I'm not as confident as I look." (olympicchannel.com, 27 Nov 2020)

COVID-19
The forced break due to the Covid-19 pandemic allowed Wierer an opportunity to rest, both physically and mentally, and find new motivations for her career. "After last season I was done, I was so tired. Then, for the first time, I could rest for an entire month, lying on the couch, it was amazing. After that, I found the right motivations and the will of training. If it were like the previous season, when I was always travelling in the spring, without having the possibility to relax, I would not be here now." (oasport.it, 8 Sep 2020)

THE PAST IS IN THE PAST
Prefers to focus on upcoming performances rather than past achievements. "At home I don’t keep anything. I don’t like to look back on the past, I prefer to concentrate on the here and now. Once I’ve finished my career, I’ll dig out all the trophies and medals and put them in a beautiful display case." (alkhaleejtoday.co, 27 Nov 2020)

© Data by Sports Data Warehouse

Three-time Olympian. Became the first Italian female biathlete (alongside Karin Oberhofer) to win an Olympic medal at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games, after mixed relay bronze. Only Italian female biathlete to win multiple medals, after winning mixed relay bronze again at PyeongChang 2018. Won bronze in the sprint at Beijing 2022.

Tenth all-time most individual World Championship gold medals with three, and most successful among active biathletes. Only Italian female biathlete to win a World Championship title. Third most successful biathlete at the 2020 championships with two gold and two silver, behind Marte Olsbu Roeiseland's five.

First Italian biathlete to win the World Cup overall Crystal Globe (2019, 2020). Has the most individual World Cup victories for an Italian biathlete with 12 (incl. World Championships), ahead of Wilfried Pallhuber (6). Became the third biathlete, after Martin Fourcade (FRA) and Marie Dorin Habert (FRA), to have a victory in all seven biathlon disciplines.

First Italian biathlete to win an individual gold medal at the Youth World Championships, with victory in 2008 (individual), adding another gold in 2009 (pursuit). First Italian female biathlete to win a Junior World Championship title, with three victories in 2011 (individual, sprint, pursuit).