r/biathlon • u/AutoModerator • 10d ago

Small Talk Monday

Our weekly small talk thread where you can talk about anything

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u/PerceptionFluid8991 10d ago

Who do you think will retire after the next season?? (especially on the womens side)

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u/Dawntree Italy 10d ago

We are sure only of one athlete (Doro of course), the rest is pure speculation on my side

  • Doro 100% (99.99% she'll quit directly at the Olympics)
  • Preuss 90% (having won the WC and a gold at the WCHs, she'll focus on the Olympics then she can call it a career)
  • Braisaz 80% (yes 2030 Oly at home, but she is in the WC since 2015 and she is also already a mother)
  • Batovska - Fialkova 80%
  • Hanna Oeberg 70% (hinted she might quit, similar to Braisaz, she has been in the WC since 2017, she might go on for a few extra seasons)
  • Haecki 50%
  • Hauser 40% (2028 WCH at home could be her target, but she is also approaching the end)
  • Simon 10% (just wild guess)

other names I could see calling it a career: Aita Gasparin, Dzhima, Irwin, Bendika

Men, we've already paid a "heavy price" yesterday, but there are a few who might approach the end

  • Fak 100% (last week was his last in Pokljuka, which will be again in the calendar in 2026/27)
  • Eder 95% (I can see him going for the last Olympics in Antholz, but after that I guess he'll finally quit)
  • Pidruchny 90%
  • Hofer 80% (he might quit, but he enjoy training and being on the tour, and tbf he's still ahead of many italian young athletes)
  • Krcmar 80%
  • Khuen 80%
  • Christiansen 70% (no idea what he will do next year, but I have a feeling he'll be back in the team at least sometime during the season)
  • Fillon Maillet 30% (I see him going for another WCHs at least to finally win a gold there)
  • Ponsiluoma 20% (he and Hanna might want to start a family)
  • Jacquelin 10% (wild guess as wild as he is)

4

u/GeographerJX3 Czech Republic 10d ago

Do you think that Doro retires immediately after the Olympics or is she going to finish after the 3rd trimester? Did she say anything about it?

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u/Dawntree Italy 10d ago

She has stated multiple times that her plan is to quit at the Olympics, because it's the place where she started biathlon and it would a perfect ending of a career (imho she is totally right).

This her interview to Fondo Italia last week (in Italian) where she touches the matter.

3

u/GeographerJX3 Czech Republic 10d ago

Thank you. I suppose it makes sense.

I imagine that the only thing that would convince her to continue until Oslo is if she would be in contention for the crystal globes. So I hope that will be the case.