Elvira Öberg: "Huge difference to be in the national team"

Elvira Öberg was still attending biathlon high school in Sollefteå when she was selected in the A national team in 2018. Once in the Swedish elite, she experienced a big difference compared to before, when it came to knowledge about energy intake and diet. 

- That I got to spend time with the seniors in the national team who have worked with these issues for a few years, it has helped me a lot.

Just such a thing as eating honeydew before going out on the second session, you did not do that (in high school) but now it is a matter of course, says Elvira Öberg.

Not the same resources at the biathlon high school

That the national team can maintain a higher level from an elite sports perspective is not so strange.

Here, some of the world's best biathletes train, which gives them the financial muscle to invest more in support resources around the team - including a dietician, mental coach and national team doctor.

In the elite sports high schools, the support instead comes from the special sports teachers, the coaches and the teaching guided by the syllabus.

But also through the Swedish Sports Confederation, RF.

- I think we have good support from RF.

We have been able to bring here dieticians who have given lectures for students and parents.

We have also received support from RF in individual cases of energy deficiency or when we have seen a risk of eating disorder problems.

But there is potential to do more, says Kari Korpela who is a special sports teacher at the biathlon high school in Sollefteå.

He is primarily asking for more support from the Swedish Biathlon Association.

- Especially now when things are going so well for Swedish biathlon.

To then be able to get help from the association through a dietician or dietitian who checks the schools more continuously, it could be something for the future.

Grip: "The ultimate elite gets the best conditions"

In Sweden, there are two national sports high schools (RIG) in biathlon, one in Sollefteå and one in Torsby.

In addition, there are also a number of nationally approved sports educations (NIU).

- The skiers who are in the extreme elite get the best conditions, that's it.

Then we work to create good support, advice and help also for our biathlon high schools.

It is a process that continues all the time, says the Biathlon Federation's general secretary Rikard Grip.

Hear more what the national sports high schools think HERE.