The Winter Olympics in Italy, the last time this happened was in Turin in 2006 and the games are still fondly remembered. We take Olympic Day as an opportunity to look back on the Games of 20 years ago with Kati Wilhelm, Michael Greis and Anna Carin Zidek and to spark anticipation for the upcoming Winter Olympics in Milan Cortina.

For most athletes, the Olympic Games are the highest goal in their career. It is hard to put into words just how important this event is in an athlete's life. “The Olympics are the absolute highlight for every athlete. The Games simply have a special appeal and are a great experience.” That is what Kati Wilhelm says. She is a three-time Olympic champion in Biathlon and has won a total of seven Olympic medals in her career. Together with her, Michael Greis and Anna Carin Zidek, we look back on the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin on Olympic Day and look ahead to the upcoming games in Antholz.

Respect, excellence and fairness - this is the slogan under which Olympic Day is celebrated every year in June. It commemorates the day the International Olympic Committee was founded in 1894 - the birth of the modern Olympic Games, but also the dreams, experiences and career highlights that athletes have had at the competitions: Like Wilhelm, Greis and Zidek.

No athlete dares to dream of this

Greis made history in Turin on several occasions. He is the first Biathlon Olympic champion in the mass start, as this discipline celebrated its premiere in 2006, and won three gold medals during the same Games - something no German athlete had ever achieved before him. “Everything simply worked out during Turin. After the preparation in Ridnaun, I set off with the feeling that I was perfectly prepared and that everything would work out. This impression was then confirmed in Turin.” He was struck by the special flair on site, the logistics were well organised, the German men's team lived right next to the competition courses in San Sicario and walked to the competitions. “Of course, it was always a long drive from our accommodation to the centre of Turin, but you're happy to put up with that to get your Olympic medal.” The Winter Olympics in Turin were the highlight of Greis‘ career. Nobody had expected him to win gold medals in the Individual, Mass Start and Relay beforehand. “I was already at the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City, but I didn't get a place in the relay there. The fact that it turned out like this four years later is a dream that you don't even dare to dream of as a young athlete.”

Moments that you won't forget

Almost 20 years later, Wilhelm also has fond memories of her time in Turin. Her eyes light up when she talks about the Olympic Games. As the flag bearer for the German team in 2006, she was given a special honour even before the first competition. “I was already Olympic champion in 2002. But at the time, nobody expected that of me. Four years later, it was a different story. I came to the Games as the overall World Cup leader and wanted to show that my Olympic victory in Salt Lake City was no coincidence.” It certainly wasn't, as Wilhelm showed a perfect race in the Pursuit. She crossed the finish line with a lead of over a minute and was able to celebrate. “These are moments you don't forget. I was able to understand and enjoy what it means to be an Olympic champion much better in Turin because I had experienced it before. For me, those were the best Winter Games of my career,” says the now 48-year-old. Thanks to her Olympic victories, Wilhelm is one of the most successful and best-known German athletes.

The first Swedish Olympic champion in the biathlon ...

... was Zidek in the Mass Start in Turin. The Swede had worked hard over the summer to achieve this. Her coach Wolfgang Pichler did not shy away from tough training sessions. “During a training camp in Ruhpolding, we cycled for five hours in one day. Then he surprised us with a shooting test in the arena. Anyone who did not pass had to get back on their bike and climb a mountain. Fortunately, everyone made it. Wolfgang wanted to train in such a way that we could still focus on shooting, even when we were exhausted.” Zidek was the only Swedish biathlete to qualify for Turin. While the men's team trained, she stayed alone in the Olympic village. But she was not the only athlete from her home village in Sweden to become an Olympic champion. Her childhood friend Anna Le Moine did the same in curling. Two Olympic champions from a village with just two thousand inhabitants - only the Olympics can write stories like this.

Great anticipation of Antholz

Antholz will be an excellent host for the Olympic biathlon competitions. Wilhelm, Greis and Zidek all agree on this. They are expecting lots of fans, a good atmosphere and the well-known South Tyrolean flair with sunshine and exciting competitions. Greis sees an advantage in the fact that the biathletes already know the venue. “From my point of view, it can help the athletes if they know the local conditions and the courses. That gives them confidence. It can also give them strength when family and friends are there.” Wilhelm describes an additional aspect that could help the athletes to relax. “Antholz is just one of the Olympic Games venues. The other competition venues are spread across the country. It will therefore feel like a World Cup for the biathletes. That might take the edge off some of them.” Zidek is hoping for medals for the Swedish team. She trains young biathletes in Sweden. “Maybe it will give some of them extra motivation if they can emulate an Olympic champion in their own country. Otherwise, I'm looking forward to fair competitions,” says the 52-year-old.

With 228 days to go from Olympic Day to the opening ceremony of the 2026 Winter Olympics, we can hardly wait for new Olympic stories to be written.

Photos: IBU I Christian Manzoni