The Milan/Cortina Women’s Mass Start marked the end of Dorothea Wierer’s storied career, concluding her biathlon life that began in the same Südtirol Arena where she started biathlon over 20 years ago. After talking retirement for several years, Wierer announced two years ago these home Olympic Winter Games would mark the end of her career.

“I was just trying to enjoy it”

She closed her career “Doro style” skiing fast, shooting incredibly fast and fighting until the last meters, finishing a very credible 5th. “I was really nervous because I thought it would be really hard; it was, but also nice. I felt really good on skis. We had good skis; good shooting I think (90%). I was just trying to enjoy it. At least I led for some meters! It was nice!”

“Grateful for all the people I met”

Looking back after the post-competition celebration, she admitted, “So many emotions in the last years; so many ups and downs, I am really grateful for all the people I met. I had the chance to win some medals and do some really good results, but for me , it’s the people I met. All of the affection that I get from the fans is more important than all the medals…I am most proud that I made biathlon a little bit bigger in Italy for my teammates.”

Wierer never imagined a career that would make her one of the most popular and successful athletes in the sport. She went from her first big success as the 2016 Youth Individual World Champion to a four-time Junior World Champion to a first Olympic medal in 2014 to consecutive World Cup Total Score titles in 2019 and 2020, on to two individual 2020 IBU WCH Gold medals at home in Antholz, before bidding her fans a fond farewell with an Olympic Mixed Relay Silver Medal two weeks ago before yesterday’s concluding Olympic Mass Start.

Sochi Bronze Medal

Wierer’s destiny and future successes were obvious early when she hit 19-of-20 targets, winning the IBU Youth Individual World Champion at the age of 18. It was just a matter of time until the Italian became well-known for her blindingly fast shooting and equally quick laughter-filled comments. After winning three IBU Junior WCH titles in 2011, she fast-tracked into the BMW IBU World Cup, but initially found the going rough. Her impeccable shooting was missing, but she improved gradually each season until the 2013/14 Sochi Olympic season. After a surprise Bronze medal in the Olympic Mixed Relay, she shot clean in the sprint, finishing with a career-best sixth place. A few weeks later at Pokljuka, that career-best went bye-bye when after fifth in the sprint, she jumped onto her first World Cup podium with third in the pursuit, ending the season with a personal best 15th in the Total Score.

Battling for Total Score Crystal Globe

A few more podiums followed and then her first World Cup victory in the 2015/16 season-opening Oestersund 15 km individual. That kick-started a season where she moved up to third in the Total Score and won the World Cup Individual Score Crystal Globe, the first of her career. More wins and a second Olympic Mixed Relay Bronze medal from the 2018 OWG went into her trophy case. The 2018/19 and 2019/20 seasons made Doro the talk of the sport. Consistently battling for the podium and dueling with teammate Lisa Vittozzi for the top spot in the Total Score, Wierer won the 2019 IBU WCH Mass Start Gold medal, leaving Oestersund in a tie for the top spot with Vittozzi. Vittozzi’s meltdown 68th place in the Oslo sprint paved the way for Wierer to win the coveted World Cup Total Score Crystal Globe as well as the Pursuit Score title.

Career-best Season with IBU WCH medals at Home

The best year of Wierer’s career followed that landmark season She again was in a battle for the Total Score title, with Tiril Eckhoff and Hanna Oeberg nipping at her heels. Wierer was under huge pressure with the IBU World Championships at the Südtirol Arena, just a few kilometers from her family home. However, she was at her best when it counted. A Championships-opening Mixed Relay Silver medal removed the medal pressure. Gold medals in the 15 km Individual and Pursuit and a closing Mass Start Silver medal overshadowed Marte Olsbu Roeiseland’s record-setting seven medals in the eyes of Wierer’s adoring fan base. Those medals kept her in control of the Yellow Bib, leading to her second consecutive World Cup Total Score title, just edging Eckhoff in the Covid-19 shortened season.

Struggling with various aliments in the next two seasons, Wierer remained in the podium mix, focused on one thing missing in her resume, an individual Olympic medal. The early parts of the 2021/22 Olympic season were bleak with zero podiums. She found her form with third in the Ruhpolding Sprint. She headed to Beijing after a stunning comeback from 14th position to win the Antholz Mass Start. In Beijing, Wierer fulfilled her much-stated goal of winning an individual Olympic medal. “It is great. I never thought it was possible. I started the race and felt my skis were really good…In shooting, I was just thinking about nothing. Of course, the last loop was really hard, but…it is a Bronze medal and I am really happy.”

Another win in Antholz

Post-Beijing, Wierer picked up where she left off, with a season filled with podiums and couple of special victories. Just prior the IBU World Championships in Oberhof, the Antholz Valley native won the sprint in her home stadium, almost a year after her last previous win, in ironically the 2022 Antholz Mass Start. Wierer relished that final Antholz win, “It is amazing to win in front of my home crowd; I really like Antholz. It is really nice because there are friends and family here. It is always special and it’s not so easy because there is more stress and pressure at home.”

In Oberhof, she added another milestone, winning the Women’s Relay Gold medal for the first time in her career. Wierer’s strong second leg put the Italians in a lead that they never relinquished, taking IBU WCH Women’s Relay Gold for the first-time ever.

Wierer won twice more after the IBU WCH, ending the season second in the World Cup Total Score, a solid result three seasons after taking her second big Crystal Globe.

The Italian legend’s next season was marred with Illness, not up her high standards, shutting down after the IBU World Championships. Still Wierer managed one more podium in her beloved Antholz, second in the Mixed Relay. The 2024/25 season found her on the comeback trail, not up to her standards but slipping into the flowers several times, while making it through the whole season. It was all about the Olympic season on the horizon.

All in for Milan/Cortina OWG

Last summer, despite the demands of a home Olympic season, Wierer trained relentlessly, spending many hours at high-altitude Passo Lavazè, all focused on the 2026 Milan/Cortina OWG.

She came into the season in good form, winning the Oestersund 15 km Individual and donning the Yellow Bib for one last time. A clean-shooting Annecy le Grand Bornand Sprint netted a third place, followed by Pursuit third. She and teammates Lisa Vittozzi, Lukas Hofer and Tommaso Giacomel teamed up for second in the Oestersund Mixed Relay and a big win at Nove Mesto two weeks before the OWG. That set up one more milestone, a thrilling Milan/Cortina Mixed Relay Silver medal in front of family and friends.

“I was so nervous…shaking”

The always chatty Wierer admittedly felt the pressure and expectations in that stunning medal chase. “It’s crazy. I was so nervous today; I was shaking before the race. I was under so much pressure, I was shaking. I knew we had some chances for a medal. When Lukas gave me the exchange, we were in a really good position. It was not easy to handle, but it was great to catch a medal in the first competition. I am so happy for our team and all the people behind the scenes who are working for us…It’s a nice beginning and not easy (winning a medal) at home.”

After a horrendous 44th in the Sprint, the feisty Italian roared back with the fastest time of the day, finishing ninth in the Pursuit and closed her career with a very credible 5th in the Mass start.

Natural talent and a fighting spirit brought Wierer unprecedented success for an Italian biathlete: 53 individual podiums (17 victories) and 35 relay, mixed, and single mixed podiums, but Dorothea Wierer’s biggest legacy might just be her charming, funny personality that endeared her to both rivals and fans.

Biathlon will miss the staccato shooting style, her distinctive laugh and those always great comments. Best of luck in the future, Doro!

Photos: IBU/Vianney Thibaut, Petr Slavik, Ola Wizor, Nordic Focus