Elsa Tänglander: A Rising Star in Biathlon and Cross-Country Skiing

An Exceptional Talent

Elsa Tänglander is regarded as a huge talent in Sweden. She is so talented that she could choose between two different sports. Currently, she is pursuing a bold plan—but a decision is looming.

Elsa Tänglander shines in both biathlon and cross-country skiing. It is already a remarkable achievement to be among the world's best athletes in one sport, but to master two? This is exactly what the Swedish athlete, Tänglander, has accomplished thus far in her age group.

The 17-year-old made history back in February, winning gold in the cross-country sprint at the Youth Olympic Games and subsequently claiming the title of sprint world champion at the Biathlon Junior World Championships. This unprecedented feat had never been accomplished before!

A lingering question remains: Which sport does she want to focus on as she embarks on a professional career? For now, her somewhat surprising answer is both. "I want to compete as much as possible in both disciplines," said Tänglander about her ambitious goals.

Coach Pichler: "She Must Pursue Biathlon"

However, there seems to be a slight emphasis leaning toward biathlon. At least, she chose this sport when she had to decide which national team she wanted to join in the spring.

This decision likely delighted German coach Wolfgang Pichler, who has celebrated great successes with the Swedish team during his coaching career. He warned emphatically when Tänglander showcased her talent in cross-country at the Youth Olympics: "We cannot lose her. She must do biathlon; she is a super talent."

Tänglander explained her preliminary decision in favor of biathlon by stating that this allows her to continue practicing both sports, whereas as a cross-country skier, she would no longer be able to train with the weapon.

Continued Contacts with the Cross-Country Team

Nevertheless, she maintains contact with the cross-country team: "I also met with the junior coach there and know what I need to do this winter to qualify for larger competitions."

For now, her focus in cross-country is on the Swedish Bauhaus Cup, although she dreams of bigger international events.

In biathlon, however, her goals for this winter are already set quite high. She hopes to compete in the IBU Cup, which is like the second league in biathlon—a plan supported by her coaches.

Otherwise, she is mainly working toward one big event this winter: "It's clear that one of my major goals is the junior world championships in biathlon in Östersund, so it’s probably a good idea to do some biathlon first."

A New Gem for German Biathlon Coaches?

Currently, those responsible in Sweden are still accepting her dual role as a biathlete and cross-country skier. However, in a year and a half, once she completes her A-levels, this will have to end.

At the moment, it appears that biathlon is a bit ahead in her preferences—much to the joy of Pichler and also Sweden's biathlon coach, Johannes Lukas from Munich.

He stated in the podcast "Extrarunde," when asked if Tänglander is Sweden's greatest jewel: "Definitely. Elsa has dominated everything at her age and does it wonderfully. I find it impressive how she manages to juggle biathlon and cross-country at the same time."

Tänglander is currently training with Sweden's biathlon team in Idre but doesn’t forget to practice the classic style in cross-country. Lukas is optimistic about her unique potential for the future: "Maybe she can even continue dual training forever. Nothing is impossible."