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In March the news came that surprised everyone in skiing. Stina Nilsson, with great merits in cross-country skiing, had decided to change the sport to biathlon.
Shortly after, Nilsson joined the Swedish national biathlon team, where he was assigned a development site. He has trained with the other skiers of the national team during the preseason, but has had few competitive opportunities.
Stina Nilsson made her competitive debut as a biathlete in mid-November when she ran a sprint and a short distance during the Swedish premiere in Idre.
But then both the national competitions and the IBU Cup, the level below the World Cup, came to a halt due to the corona pandemic.
On Sunday and yesterday, Nilsson had to stand on the starting line again, and that during the observation competitions in Östersund.
There were two sprint competitions on the program, where Nilsson had a hard time in the first one and finished in 13th place. Yesterday, however, things were much better. Stina Nilsson only had a boom and made it to sprint three.
“It feels good”
And now it is clear that Stina Nilsson has been selected for her first international competition as a biathlete.
Biathlon Federation Sporting Director Anna Maria Uusitalo announced at Tuesday’s lunch that Stina Nilsson has been selected for the IBU Cup when it starts in German Arber on January 14.
– It feels great to be one of those who managed those desirable places, says Stina Nilsson in an ATG Facebook Live broadcast.
Nilsson continues:
– I feel that I have accumulated a lot of experience in these short weeks that have passed since the premiere of the competition in Idre until now. I feel a sense of security on the dike. I feel ready for a mission like this now, and it’s a really nice feeling.
“Thinking of taking a back seat”
In addition to Stina Nilsson, a number of renowned biathletes have been selected for the IBU Cup. Something that Nilsson tries to take advantage of.
– Certainly there are a lot of new procedures now in an IBU Cup that I haven’t faced before and then it’s just a matter of turning my back on the other riders. Then once they run it’s just me versus myself, but until I get to the starting line, I intend to turn my back on the girls and do what they do, he says on ATG’s Facebook Live.
At the same press conference, sports director Anna Maria Uusitalo also announced the team for the World Cup in Oberhof after the New Year. Where Oskar Brandt, 25, now has the opportunity.
Swedish team for the IBU Cup in Arber, Germany
Ladies:
Elisabeth Högberg Östersund Biathlon
Emma Nilsson SK Bore
Tilda Johansson Anundsjö SK
Stina Nilsson Lima SKG
Sara Andersson Mora Biathlon
Ingela Andersson K 4 Idrottsförening
Ella Halvarsson Biathlon Östersund
Mens:
Malte Stefansson Oxbergs IF
Gabriel Stegmayr Dala-Järna IK
Torstein Stenersen Biathlon Östersund
Erik Larsson Mora Biathlon
Oscar Andersson Älvdalen SKG
Swedish team for the World Cup in Oberhof, Germany
Ladies:
Hanna Öberg, Piteå Biathlon Club
Mona Brorsson, Finnskoga IF
Linn Persson, SK Bore
Johanna Skottheim, Lima SKG
Elvira Öberg, Piteå Biathlon Club
Anna Magnusson, Piteå Biathlon Club
Mens:
Sebastian Samuelsson, I 21 IF
Jesper Nelin, Piteå Biathlon Club
Martín Ponsiluoma, Tullua SG
Peppe Femling, Piteå Biathlon Club
Oskar Brandt, I 2 IF
READ MORE: Stina Nilsson: “Why are people curious about privacy?”
READ MORE: The Biathlon World Cup: everything you need to know
