Biathlon: family rest for the Boe brothers
“Who cares? You don’t ask on Christmas Eve what’s going to happen tomorrow”. With these words, Tarjei Boe replied to our NRK colleagues who, after the mass-start of the biathlon world cup in Oslo-Holmenkollen (Norway), asked him about his future.
Indeed, since late Sunday afternoon, Johannes Thingnes and Tarjei Boe have no longer been biathletes in the caravan. After a beautiful tribute paid by the whole team and the organisers, the two brothers were able to release all the pressure of the winter during a lovely party organised in their honour.
“We’re going to have the best party ever,” confided Johannes Thingnes a few minutes before arriving at the event. We feel like royalty. We’ve had a wonderful day.
“We’ve turned the whole of Holmenkollen into the Boe Arena”.Tarjei Boe at NRK
The eldest of the siblings was also keen to pay tribute to all the efforts made by the organisers to enable them to complete their final laps in memorable conditions: “It was even bigger than I imagined. We transformed the whole of Holmenkollen into the Boe Arena. We’re very grateful and we think it’s great that they went out of their way to honour us in such a friendly way”, he added with a smile.
But after the celebrations, the two Norwegians will now turn their attention to the future and their new life. A milestone that Tarjei Boe doesn’t seem to be worried about. “We want to gain weight. People won’t recognise us in six months’ time,” quipped the 36-year-old biathlete as usual before being rounded off by his brother. In a month’s time, the others will start concentrating on the Olympics, while we’ll still be lying on the sofa.
And while they recently revealed that they had already been approached to return to the game next season, the two Scandinavians want to take some time to relax with their families. A decision particularly appreciated by their wives.
“I’ve never seen such a party. People have come from far and wide and spent their money to come and see them one last time. It’s a very powerful message,” confessed Hedda Dæhli Boe, wife of Johannes Thingnes. “It was a wonderful experience. It’s very moving to see how much they meant to everyone,” said Gita Simonsen, wife of Tarjei.
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