It is Antholz 2023; finishing ninth in the men’s 12.5 km pursuit, with one penalty is the 2002 IBU Junior 15 km individual World Champion Simon Eder who by the way, also had one penalty in winning that title. 21 years have passed and Eder still fights for top places every week. In his long career, he has “done it all,” racking up 462 World Cup starts with 47 podiums (individual and relays), won two Olympic relay medals, and five IBU WCH medals including a Silver mixed relay medal in 2021. He is known as one of the best shots in biathlon, recently completing a streak of 114 consecutive prone hits!

After his 100th career top-10 finish in the Antholz pursuit, Simon answered our five burning questions…and in a sixth, he revealed his perfect day off!

Biathlonworld: What is the key to your unbelievably consistent prone shooting this season?

Simon Eder: I think it is multifactorial, external and internal factors have to come together. You need, for example constant weather conditions and an ammunition that fits really good to your weapon. Internally, I try to balance my shooting between fast and not taking too much risk between the 5 shots… and some of my hits have been really close so you need a little bit of luck as well!

BW: Is it hard to believe this is your 20th World Cup season?

SE: For sure, half of my life I’ve been in professional sport but that’s what I already hoped for when I was a little child.

BW: How do you stay motivated after so many years of high-level professional sport?

SE: I love my job and my father also had a very long career. So, to me it has always been kind of “normal” to compete until the age of 40. I looked up to my father and generally to other sportsmen with long careers like Maurilio De Zolt, Ole Einar Bjoerndalen, Anders Aukland or Jaromir Jagr. In my family I have two biathlon coaches, and both always help me with the concerns of a senior athlete.

BW: What do you typically do to recover after a race especially in weeks like Antholz with three consecutive days of competition?

SE: My wife is a dietitian and knows a lot about food, so she helps me a lot. This season the Austrian team also works with a sport nutrition scientist as well and we have physiotherapists in our team too! Sleeping as much as possible is my personal recovery tip.

BW: Your dad has been your coach from day one, what is the best advice he ever gave you?

SE: Try to stay calm in difficult situations. He is living it more than just saying this advice. In 2017, I was sick for the whole month of January, just before the home IBU WCH in Hochfilzen. Without him it would not have been possible to reach two medals there.

BW: Bonus Question: What will you do on a perfect day off from training when you are back home?

SE: I will take my daughter to the school, sit on my sofa @home and take an evening walk with the family and the dog…a perfect day! Photos: IBU/Christian Manzoni, Jasmine Walter