Biathlon: Will Johannes Thingnes Boe overtake Ole Einar Bjoerndalen?
As he prepares to launch his solo World Cup season this Tuesday afternoon at the individual short in Kontiolahti (Finland), Norway’s Johannes Thingnes Boe has an old record in his sights: the number of victories at the highest level.
Currently, the ogre from Stryn (Norway) is on 85, while the illustrious Ole Einar Bjoerndalen has reached 95 during his long career. Johannes Thingnes Boe has said several times over the winter that he wants to beat this record.
“It’s very difficult to think that I’m going to win ten or eleven races straight away, he told TV2 a few hours before the start of his winter season. I’m just trying to make sure that I’m in good shape and that I perform well in the competitions.”
Ole Einar Bjoerndalen considers him “the best biathlete of all time”
“It’s a legendary record in many ways, but it can be beaten, he continues. If I don’t manage it, someone else will probably do it in the future.” Ole Einar Bjoerndalen himself agrees: “I’m convinced he’ll beat my record, and if he has a good season, he could beat it as early as this winter,” he says.
For the man who once coached the Chinese team alongside Jean-Pierre Amat, Johannes Thingnes Boe is “the best biathlete of all time”. He’s a fantastic athlete, he enthuses. When he’s on the pace, nothing can stop him.”
When our colleagues repeated these words to Johannes Thingnes Boe, he was initially surprised. “These are big words. After all, he knows biathlon, he’s the one who created the sport, he said with a smile. It’s probably the greatest compliment I’ve ever received!”
- Within two years, Johannes Thingnes Boe wants to overtake Ole Einar Bjoerndalen in the number of World Cup victories
- Johannes Thingnes Boe repeats: “My goal is to beat Ole Einar Bjoerndalen’s record of victories”.
