The highlight of the 2023/24 season has long been set for Rasmus and Ramses Tiislar from Estonia. The IBU Youth and Junior World Championships will take place in Otepää from February 23 to March 2. The twins want to be there.

The season could not have started better for Ramses Tiislar. He finished second in the individual competition at the IBU Junior Cup in Pokljuka. The best result of his career and thus also qualification for the World Championships in Estonia, which take place in February and March. The jubilation throughout the team was gigantic. The team danced together and celebrated the surprising silver medal. His brother Rasmus was also happy, even though he admits: "I'm sometimes jealous of my brother. But it makes us push each other and get better. It's very good for us that we always have a training partner."

Discovering a love for the sport at an early age

Rasmus and Ramses started cross-country skiing in their hometown of Tallinn when they were eight years old and switched to biathlon in 2021, which is now the most popular winter sport in Estonia. The combination of two sports and the challenge of focusing only on the targets when shooting convinced them to take up biathlon. At the 2022 World Cup premiere in Otepää, their training venue, they were spectators at the competitions and enjoyed the atmosphere. "We are looking forward to the IBU Junior World Championships taking place in our living room. Our whole family and friends will be there," explains Rasmus.

An exciting year lies ahead

However, 2024 is not only set to be a highlight for Rasmus and Ramses from a sporting perspective. They also want to graduate from school and then concentrate fully on biathlon. "Our teachers support us in combining school and sport. But especially when we're abroad, it's hard to catch up on schoolwork," says Ramses. When they travel together, they often share a room. This gives them a family atmosphere even when they are away from their family. "Our relationship is very close. Of course, this is also since we do the same sport and are therefore often together. There are days when we talk to each other a lot, but sometimes we have nothing to say," says Ramses. Both brothers love cooking pasta and playing computer games or X-Box. What annoys them: stupid questions about being twins. They hear them too often. "The most common question we get asked is which one of us is which. We now only answer with a tortured smile," says Rasmus. There will be real emotions in March when they or another member of the team achieves a good result at the World Championships.

Photos: IBU I Koksarov, Deubert, Authanayou