Skottheim Olympic Chase: Slow Start Costs Ground

Nightmare race for Johanna Skottheim in the hunt for the Olympics.

Then the Swede only did an interview before she went straight through the mixed zone.

– It is very frustrating that it has to be so damn hard, she says to SVT.

Heijdenberg: “It was fun to compete again”

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19 days left before the Olympic premiere in biathlon. There are still two places left in the Swedish women’s squad where three skaters are fighting for the places. In Friday’s World Cup competition in Ruhpolding, Johanna Skottheim lost ground in the race. A place outside the top 60 means that she is also not allowed to participate in this weekend’s hunting start.

– It was heavy from the start and very boring. It’s a tight race, a little too much boom but above all the recovery is not there so there is no speed. It is very frustrating that it has to be so damn hard, she says in SVT’s broadcast.

Three riders are chasing the last places

The biathlon Olympics begin on February 8 in Antholz-Anterselv, Italy. So far, nine seats have been awarded, but two seats remain on the women’s side. Johanna Skottheim, Linn Gestblom and Anna-Karin Heijdenberg fight for the empty seats.

During Friday’s World Cup competition in Ruhpolding, there was therefore much at stake in the last chance before the Olympic selection. Johanna Skottheim missed a shot in both lying and standing in Friday’s sprint and finished in 64th place, two minutes and 18 seconds behind victorious Hanna Öberg.

After the race, she was interviewed by SVT before the 31-year-old went straight through the mixed zone and avoided the media.

– I had hoped that it would go better, but now it just feels like crap, Skottheim tells SVT.

One satisfied – and one dissatisfied

Anna-Karin Heijdenberg became the fourth best Swede in place 19 in the results list and took a step in the right direction in the hunt for the Olympic place.

– I felt almost unstoppable after the lying down, I just “oh, this is going so well”. Then there was a boom and there are many here today who shoot well. I think you end up a little behind with that boom, but otherwise that’s it. A good competition, nine hits out of ten you still have to be satisfied with, says Heijdenberg.

Do you think you deserve the Olympic ticket?

– Yes, I actually think so.

Skottheim had the opposite feeling after today’s race. Afterwards, she was dejected and believes that the Olympic place now seems to have disappeared.

– Yes, it feels like the place is gone. The only thing that I might do well is that I might be a good relay runner. Today’s race is not fun at all, it is above all not fun to have this entrance and for it to go so badly when there is so much at stake when it has actually been a good year for me. Right now I’m pretty empty, says Skottheim to SVT.

The answer about the Olympic ticket

When Sportbladet talks to Johannes Lukas, coach of the Swedish national biathlon team, he hasn’t had time to meet Skottheim yet.

– I have seen everyone except Johanna. I think, unfortunately, that the race came too soon, if you think about the illness. The relay cost a lot. But it’s biathlon and two days ago everything was great and she did a great relay and almost a perfect dash. Today, of course, it’s a little heavier, says Johannes Lukas.

He does not want to talk about Skottheim’s Olympic chances.

– I can only say that we will not take anyone to the Olympics after today and not after the relay either. For us, it is important to assess a whole, he says.

The ladies’ chase start is 10 kilometers and goes on Sunday at 2.30 pm.

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