The attentive television viewer has seen it in the pictures from the World Cup premiere in Östersund.
Vetle Sjåstad Christiansen, Norway’s most experienced biathlete, is competing this year with a nose ring that sticks out.
– He looks like a wild bull, says Sweden’s Jesper Nelin and laughs.
– It’s not pretty! It is not a fashion example, adds colleague Martin Ponsiluoma.
Now is the ring however, not jewelry, but for medical reasons, explains Sjåstad Christiansen himself.
– You put it in the nose, and then it expands the nose, he says.
For several years he has struggled with sinus infections without understanding why.
– When I got a cold, my nose hurt, up to my head, and I had never had that before.
Last spring visited he an ear, nose and throat specialist at home in Norway and received an unexpected message:
– The nasal wall was slightly crooked, says the 33-year-old.
– It is quite normal not to have a perfectly straight nose. But then bacteria can settle a little faster, because it is more crowded.
He continues:
– “Nasal breathing” is very trendy, at least in Norway. There are many people who tape their mouths and then only breathe through their noses, it should be very healthy for the body.
– But this one helps me open up the system so that – when I do hard physical activity – I breathe a little extra through my nose, I get my heart rate down. So especially towards the shooting, maybe it helps me to be calmer.
The trend he references to has, for example, been adopted by national team mate Ingrid Landmark Tandrevold (night time), which among other things The evening paper previously written about.
Håvar Løseth has a lot of TV2 that there is still no documented effect of the prototype that the biathlete uses. However, Løseth hopes for more research in the area, and Sjåstad Christiansen himself believes that the ring is one of the reasons why he has stayed healthy this year.
Now the sprint awaits and chase start for the men as the opening week of the World Cup continues this weekend.
Vetle Sjåstad Christiansen led Norway to victory in the men’s relay last weekend but had a heavier individual premiere as 17th in the distance – despite the ring.
Is it comfortable to wear?
– Yes, you get used to it. At first it was a little different. It opens up, so it can run a little (from the nose). But it fits so tight that you can only cheat with full strength.
– So I am very, very happy with it.
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