Biathletes, like most athletes, spend a lot of time on the road: for training, competitions and much needed holidays, they travel the world from corner to corner, chasing ideal conditions for any of those activities. Ivona Fialkova is no different, however, she soon discovered that travelling was more than just a necessity for her sport: new places, different landscapes and various cultures whetted her mind in a way that soon geography became her big love.

“My passion started when I was a child,” she admits: “The first time it wasn't about geography, just traveling. During the summer we were on holiday regularly, so it was a big part of my life that I enjoyed the whole year after we left and foretasted before reaching the destination. During the last two months, I was literally obsessed: I was reading about the weather, food, trips, and attractions over and over! That's how it all started.”

From a Hobby to Something More

The 23-year-old Slovak found no way back from this love and shortly understood that she wanted it to be part of her everyday life: maps, travel guides and atlases were only the starting point.

“When I started studying geography at university, it was not only my hobby anymore,” she explains: “I have found out that traveling and exploring landscapes, cultures and traditions is only a very small part of it. I've learned about what is the study of geography and I spent a lot of nights on my knees looking at different kinds of maps. Now, in my free time I observe mostly physical and humane geography.”

Downtime is not that frequent in the life of a professional biathlete, though. However, for Ivona Fialkova this does not mean separating from her passion. On the contrary, geography is something she takes good vibes from even during the season.

“Sometimes it's important to turn off my mind during the season and stop to focus only on races,” she admits: “When I have a free day, or I feel that I need it, it is the right time for exploring foreign countries, so this is when I leave the hotel and wander around to discover more than the shooting range!”

A Love for Exploration

For the Slovak who made her first top 10 appearance last season in Holmenkollen, there is no doubt about what she likes best about this peculiar passion. If it was up to her, she would love to see new BMW IBU World Cup stages every season.

“What I love the most? New places!” She tells with a broad smile: “I am not a person who likes to return to the verified places. I prefer to explore something new. My best performances during training camps all come on places where I have never been before!”

Unsurprisingly, it is very hard for her to pick a preferred place to go.

“My favorite places are changing with a growing age very often. Now I'm enthused over the Canary Islands. From a geography aspect, they are full of beautiful nature and animals, which are typical for volcanic islands. From a women's point, there are so many different beaches around the islands and perfect possibilities for shopping with many kinds of styles! And every island has something original and typical, so you never chase to find something new.”

A Souvenir for Every place

It is not uncommon to being home something from every place visited. Some people love to buy magnets, some glasses, some postcards. Fialkova is no different, but with a twist. “I am trying to bring always something typical from a new country I visit. In my house, a magnet with a flag should never be missing. And from holiday, I always bring interesting jewelry, I have a weakness for it!”

Pictures courtesy of Ivona Fialkova