SHL: Of course. I wanted to win against Johannes in full health and able to compete. I wanted to show that I deserved the Globe. And to win it in a direct battle, with Johannes at his best means a lot. I feel I deserve to take the torch and carry on with his legacy.
SHL: It is a mix of everything. Most of all, I am really, really happy that I managed to finish the job. I am relieved that I didn’t crack under the pressure of such a big occasion. And I am really, really proud of the way that I executed Sprint and Pursuit, by shooting 30/30 and performing at my absolute best. But - believe it or not - I am already thinking about what is next.
SHL: The Olympic Winter Games will be the main goal for the next season.
SHL: I felt that I performed at a very high level in the 2022/2023 season, but it just so happened that Johannes had the best season of all time. At the end of that season, I thought that perhaps it wasn’t just up to me—Johannes was simply performing on another level. But I kept working hard, moving forward with small steps: I stabilised my shooting performance even further and improved my skiing technique, which increased my speed on the tracks. That proved to me that you can always keep improving, giving me motivation for the seasons to come.
SHL: I stayed in my apartment in Oslo instead of the hotel because I was afraid of getting sick. Even my girlfriend wasn’t with me—I was 100% focused on the task. After the Pursuit, I moved into the hotel, thinking I would be able to relax. But at 1:30 in the morning, I was wide awake. I got up, took my car, and drove home. Only then was I able to fall asleep properly. This break in my routine may have cost me some focus in the Mass Start, as my zeroing was poor. The Sprint and Pursuit effort had taken everything out of me.
SHL: Of course! I am ready to be the team captain. I hope to be able to transfer the legacy to the next generation with such care as Johannes and Tarjei did for me. I got the best possible entry in the World Cup, and I would like to replicate that for the younger guys on the Norwegian team.
Photos: IBU/Nordnes, Manzoni, Nordic Focus