Doro Wierer: Italy's star biathlete has a Beijing 2022 obsession and her heart set on a first individual Olympic title

A little more than 10 years have passed since Dorothea Wierer appeared on the elite stage, with a dream of becoming a biathlon star.

That mission has undoubtedly been accomplished now that 'Doro', who was already a champion at youth level, has won almost everything on offer over the past decade.

She has seven World Championships medals, including three golds, two World Cup Globes and four individual Globes, as well as two Olympic bronze medals, which were both earned in the mixed relay. It stands to reason that at 31 years old, Wierer is focused on her final obsession: winning an Olympic gold medal at Beijing 2022.

The task will not be easy and it must coincide with her World Cup ambitions where, last year, despite winning the individual World Cup title, she did not perform to her high expectations.

Doro is now the most successful Italian biathlete in history and is loved abroad as much as she is at home, with many of her 600,000 Instagram fans - a record for an active Italian winter athlete - hailing from other countries.

Read on for Olympic.com’s exclusive interview with Dorothea Wierer, which took place in October 2021.

Olympics.com: We’re at the beginning of an important year, which culminates with the Olympics. What are your dreams, ambitions and feelings right now?

Dorothea Wierer: The races haven’t started yet, so it’s difficult to understand what I feel in relation to my competitors. We have to wait a little while for the first stages to begin in the north, however the goals are clear: every biathlete is preparing themselves this season with the aim of winning a medal in Beijing, but unfortunately there are only three up for grabs. I will give it my all. I hope to be calm when I arrive in China, mindful of having given everything I have during autumn and winter training, even if that’s not the only secret [to winning]... There are so many things that have to come together, especially in biathlon, with the shooting and cross-country skiing, so let’s hope it goes well.

OC: Did you make any changes to your preparations over the summer considering this is an Olympic season?

DW: No, in the end it’s the same concept. You train a lot, particularly during the summer. Of course, every season is different and the training isn’t 100% the same. But it all comes back to the same point - biathletes’ lives revolve around a lot of hard work and very hard training.

OC: Here’s a tough question for you. If you had to pick between winning another World Cup or the Olympic gold medal, which would you choose?

DW: Right now, without a doubt, I would choose Olympic gold, because I have already won the World Cup. However, I also believe the Crystal Globe is special because if you win it, it shows that you have been the strongest competitor throughout the season. Whereas, with the World Cup or the Olympics you may sometimes see someone unexpected win because they arrive in top form and are able to perform well. But I’d still choose Olympic gold - even though it’s going to be difficult!

OC: It will also be hard for your opponents. What are your thoughts on them?

DW: The competition is crazy in biathlon with at least 20 women who can aspire to be on the podium. There are athletes who can do well and even more than well. Biathlon is one of those sports where in addition to competing at a very high level, there is a great amount of complexity involved. It’s both a good and a bad thing that the sport combines two disciplines into one, so there are lots of variables.

OC: The season is long and you’re on the road for many months. How do you combine your career with your family life?

DW: We’re used to it by now. I was already an international athlete when we met [her husband, Stefano Corradini] and always on the road. I look forward to going home and as soon as I get there we spend as much time together as possible. Since he’s also an athlete, he knows the way things work and puts up with my bad days. But you need to know how to trust each other. In my opinion, when you’re away from home for months at a time, it’s important to have people you can trust completely.

OC: We know that you’re passionate about fashion and this could be a future job of yours. Italy also has a great tradition in this area.

DW: I would definitely like to go into that sort of role in the future, but right now there’s no time to study as I’m focused on competing. I try to keep up with it [fashion] as much as possible. It’s my greatest passion and I like to dress well. It’s important for us Italians to travel the world in style - something people from other countries may be a little envious of! In Italy, we have everything: sea, sun, snow, food and fashion.

OC: You mention food, it must be a challenging time for athletes with the festive period soon upon us.

DW: That’s true! It’s difficult because I like “forbidden” foods like sweets and cakes. In general, I like healthy food but I also like gourmet food, so it’s hard to find a balance. I still try to eat something good every day, although I do have to be particularly careful at this time of the year as the season is about to begin.