38-year-old Kaisa Mäkäräinen returns to the competition track.
But not to one with a shooting range, because the former biathlon world champion will compete in the Finnish cross-country championships.
- The intention is to only challenge myself, Mäkäräinen says to Yle.
The Finnish, who last year ended a successful biathlon career, says that she has not trained very intensively lately.
But stands at the starting line in the ten kilometer race due to a promise.
- I have promised my hometown Ristijärvi to line up in FM which will be held at the end of March (Finnish championships are divided).
I need a few races before that to reach the finish line in the three-mile race with the honor intact.
Won before
She has ridden in the domestic cross-country championships before, and in 2017 she won gold in five kilometers.
- Now I meet a tough opposition and get a realistic picture of the form.
During his biathlon career, Mäkäräinen took 27 wins in the World Cup.
And in the WC she won a gold (hunt start), won a silver and took four bronze.