World Championships in Oberhof
Finally met: Biathlete Doll wants to keep an eye on things
Biathlete Benedikt Doll shooting. photo
© Martin Schutt/dpa
In his third World Championship race, things are finally going well for Benedikt Doll at the shooting range. This is how it should continue in the biathlon individual.
Benedikt Doll finally ticked off his two failed appearances at the Biathlon World Championships in Oberhof.
“Celebrating success is always quite easy, coming to terms with defeat is the art. And I think I managed that quite well in the pursuit. It was very good for the soul,” said the 32-year-old after 15th place in the chase race.
On Sunday, Doll only missed twice after having five penalties in the sprint. In the mixed relay, too, he had lost his chance for a medal with his poor shooting.
With a broad chest in the second week of the World Cup
The performance in the chase race should give him self-confidence for the second Oberhof week. “It’s good for me to know that I can do it. Especially for the upcoming races: individual, relay, mass start, that I’ve got security there again,” said the Black Forester before Tuesday’s individual over 20 kilometers (2.30 p.m./ZDF and Eurosport).
After his botched sprint, he distracted himself a bit at the award ceremony on Saturday evening for sprint world champion Denise Herrmann-Wick, then played kicker and darts.
The rest day before the difficult individual over 20 kilometers is just right for him and his teammates. He then wants to tackle the biathlon classic “offensively”. “But the art in singles is to hit the perfect pace. Not to be too fast and not too slow, because 20 kilometers on the lap will be really hard,” said Doll. The correct division of the race is the be-all and end-all: “You can’t say I’m going full throttle, you have to dose in a controlled manner.”