For Sweden's Zebastian Modin, the offseason brings a pivotal choice: continue excelling in cross-country skiing, where he regularly wins medals, or invest more time and energy in biathlon—a discipline he loves, yet one that hasn’t returned the favor quite as often.

Modin, now 31, is a highly decorated vision-impaired para cross-country skier with eight Paralympic medals (still missing the gold!) to his name. He began his international career at the Vancouver Paralympics, where at just under 16 years old he claimed a silver medal in the sprint. Modin has combined cross-country skiing with biathlon for years, although his list of successes in biathlon remains much shorter.

“A few years ago, I tried to progress in biathlon, but in recent seasons I’ve focused more on cross-country. Biathlon has been an extra discipline for me, adding more races to my schedule. However, I do love biathlon: I watch all the IBU World Cup races, and I actually find biathlon more fun than cross-country. But I come from a cross-country background, and that’s always been my primary focus because I’m stronger in skiing. Now, with the Paralympics coming up next year, I have to decide whether to devote more attention to biathlon. Ultimately, the Games are about chasing medals, and I believe I have a better chance in cross-country,” said Modin.

In the men’s Vision Impaired category, the Ukrainian team has dominated for several years, often sweeping the podium. Beating them requires top-tier performance. Although Modin can keep pace with them on the tracks, his shooting efficiency over the last two years has been around 50%, ruling him out of podium contention. Indeed, his best result in the 2024/25 season was seventh place in the sprint at the Paralympic trials in Val di Fiemme.

“If I improve my shooting skills, I think I could challenge the Ukrainian guys. I can match them on the track, but not yet at the range. I really respect their abilities—especially in shooting—and I know it’ll take a lot of hard work to reach their level,” Modin added.

Originally from Östersund, Modin won his fourth para cross-country world championship title this March. This particular victory was special—he secured it in Trondheim during the FIS Nordic Ski World Championships, where para athletes competed alongside their able-bodied counterparts for the first time.

“Was that the most memorable moment of my career? It’s certainly close. The World Championships was my main target this season. The atmosphere felt almost like a Paralympic event, with the large crowds adding to the excitement,” Modin noted.

For a visually impaired competitor like Zebastian, having the right guide is crucial. In the 2024/25 season, he teamed up with Emil Talsi and Emil Jönsson Haag, one of the world’s leading cross-country skiers in the early 2010s.

“Sweden still has a long way to go in para nordic skiing. Our cross-country pool is small, and our biathlon pool is even smaller. It would be great to have more athletes and a stronger environment for developing biathlon skills. Norway, for example, doesn’t have any para biathletes at the moment. There’s plenty of room for growth in both countries, and it’s something we’re working on,” he reassured.

Compared to many other strong teams facing financial hurdles, Sweden is managing relatively well. Modin hasn’t needed to worry about paying a guide for several years now—something that wasn’t always the case.

“Most of my support comes from my cross-country results, but I’m sure it would be similar if I were a dedicated biathlete. Para sports are growing in Sweden, and we’re in a good phase right now, which benefits us as athletes. I can focus entirely on my sport, which is a huge privilege. If you perform at the top level, you’ll get solid support, but if you’re a step behind, it can be tough,” Modin said.

Photos: Vanzetta/IBU, Krystek/IBU