Biathlete mourns the demise of her friend Laura Dahlmeier.
In the heart of October, Munich's Olympic Park will host a thrilling ski roller event, and one athlete who will be eager to participate is Franziska Preuss. Preuss, who recently claimed the overall World Cup in biathlon, is now setting her sights on the Winter Olympics in Cortina, Italy, scheduled for February 2026.
Preuss's journey to the top of the biathlon world has been marked by both triumph and tragedy. Her dramatic photo finish in the last World Cup race secured her overall victory, but she was deeply affected by the sudden death of her former teammate, Laura Dahlmeier.
The day after hearing the news, Preuss struggled with her target shooting in interval training. She remembers Dahlmeier as a positive and friendly person, and continues to think about her, especially during training.
Preuss's training regime has seen her collaborate with fellow biathletes. She spent two days training with her French competitor Lou Jeanmonnot in Ruhpolding, and this autumn, she also worked with Anaïs Chevalier-Bouchet.
As the World Cup season approaches, Preuss is prioritising health and infection prevention for the upcoming winter. The season will kick off in Östersund, Sweden on November 29th, with the German Championships taking place at the Arber in the Bavarian Forest from September 5th to 9th.
Preuss is motivated to win an Olympic individual medal in the upcoming Winter Olympics. However, she does not want to relive the intense stress of the last World Cup race and plans to avoid socialising outside of biathlon and her closest circle from October onwards.
One course that Preuss finds particularly favourable is the one in Antholz, Italy. She appreciates its location, weather, food, and the new course layout. Winning the overall World Cup was the biggest achievement for Preuss, but she is motivated and eager to improve for the upcoming winter season.
In October, Preuss will compete in a ski roller event in Munich's Olympic Park. As she prepares for this event and the upcoming winter season, she continues to honour Dahlmeier's memory and strive for Olympic glory.
