2023/24 was Juni Arnekleiv’s breakthrough season which she kicked off with her first individual World Cup podium, Single Mixed and Relay podiums all in the Oestersund season-opener.

That successful year netted her 13th in the World Cup Total Score. Jump to 24/25; Arnekleiv struggled on the range and spent much of the season in the IBU Cup. With the Olympic season on the horizon, the 26-year-old is back with the A team, working hard to secure a spot on Norway’s World Cup and Olympic roster. After two podiums at Blink this past weekend, Arnekleiv showed that things are going in a positive direction.

On a hot summer afternoon at Passo Lavaze, Arnekleiv described her Monday routine and revealed her surprisingly simple favorite Italian foods.

Biathlonworld: What time do you wake up on Mondays and what is the first thing you do after waking up?

Juni Arnekleiv: Usually I wake up around 7:30 or 8 and then I have a coffee, breakfast and then to training.

BW: What is the first app you look at when you turn on your phone?

JA: Instagram.

BW: What is your perfect breakfast?

JA: Some nice fresh bread with scrambled egg and some really nice ham…and actually cappuccino for me!

BW: Does your early morning regime include stretching, yoga, a jog or mental preparation for the day ahead?

JA: Not so much. I should do it more often, but more during winter on training days, not so much before races.

BW: Do you consider yourself a perfectionist when it comes to training?

JA: Not in training but more so in races; I always want to do my best.

BW: Are you fearless in most situations?

JA: Yes, I am; almost all the time. I am afraid of spiders and snakes!

BW: When the day is over, what do you do to wind down?

JA: I am quite a social person, so I like to visit friends or have some friends over for dinner. If not, I just relax, look at Instagram or something on TV. Normally, I prefer to be with friends.

BW: What piece of advice guides you every day?

JA: It comes from within myself. I do not have any person or advice that guides me.

BW: What is the hardest part of being a professional biathlete?

JA: It is the pressure, for sure. When it comes to winter and you always have to be at your best level. It is especially hard in my situation when you are on the edge (of the World Cup/IBU Cup teams), that is the biggest pressure for a high-level athlete.

BW: You’ve struggled a bit with your shooting; today you had a long hard talk with Coach Siegfried Mazet during training, did you need that?

JA: Yes, this session was my worst ever. It was a speed session at altitude and there was a lot of rifle movement, legs shaking. And Dorothea (Wierer) who is a huge star in my eyes was there watching as well as all of the coaches. That was a really tough session for me, but days like that and some needed comments make the winter easier.

BW: What is your most prized possession?

JA: Hard question, I am not sure; nothing comes to mind.

BW: What is your biggest indulgence, something you cannot live without?

JA: Definitely, friends and family.

BW: What home project is on your “to do” list before the new season starts?

JA: I live with my sister, so she does most of the stuff for us; it’s nice to have a bigger sister. Actually, I need to buy a new mountain bike.

BW: What is your favorite thing to eat in Italy?

JA: It is either pizza or pasta; very basic but my favorites.

Photos: IBU/ Archive, Nordic Focus, Juni Arnekleiv