Benedikt Doll, who resigned around a year and a half ago, wants to know it again in biathlon today. However, the focus is on fun. In his new life, the 35-year-old has long since reached, as he tells in an interview with Sport1.
Benedikt Doll has been away from the international biathlon stage for a year and a half, but on August 31 he wants to know again.
The 35-year-old will take part in the Legends Race in Dresden and compete against the Norwegian biathlon stars Johannes Thingnes and Tarjei Bö. Both had ended their careers after last winter. Doll did this after the 2023/24 season.
Benedikt Doll competes in a legend race in Dresden
The upcoming World Cup season will then be pursuing from the now used audience role.
Originally, the eight-time World Cup winner and sprint world champion from 2027 wanted to start studying building technology after his career end. Then, however, he decided to train as an electronics engineer for energy and building technology. Sport1 has now spoken to him.
Sport1: Mr. Doll, you buckle up the rifle on your back at the summer biathlon in Dresden and take part in a legend race. On Instagram they posted pictures of training and wrote: “As if I had just stopped yesterday.” How well do you master the sport?
Benedikt Doll: Really surprisingly good. Many processes are still largely included. Of course, when shooting everything wobbles a little bit more than before. I didn’t even have my own weapon, but trained with one of our local base. Nevertheless, I didn’t feel that I had bought biathlon for the first time in my life (laughs).
“I’m more decoration”
Sport1: How often did you stand at a shooting range after your career end?
Doll: maybe two or three times. Basically not at all.
Sport1: What are your expectations of the event?
Doll: The organizer asked me and said that Tarjei and Johannes Thinges Bö come. I don’t even know if we are more than three people now-the real legends are the Bö-Brüder. I am more decoration. It will of course be primarily fun and not about getting out on the route every second. If we started fighting to fight every tenth of a second, it would be a bit affected. But as a athlete you often tick a little differently. I think that in the end you want to see that everything fits at the shooting range and you can also advance on the route. The ambition always drives you.
Sport1: Johannes Thingnes Bö has been very active in the past few weeks. He ran a marathon and now plays football. What about you in this regard?
Doll: I went along with a team at the Ultrabike Marathon in the Black Forest. This is one of the largest bike races in Europe. Otherwise, I rather limit myself to relaxed recreational sports. I have two children at home and training. There is not much time left. But I have planned to take part in one run next year. The gorge lane takes place near us over a distance of 18.2 kilometers.
“So I was able to turn my hobby into a profession”
Sport1: They ended their biathlon career about one and a half years ago. How have you experienced the time afterwards?
Doll: Overall very positive. I was actually hoping that I was calm for half a year before the training starts. But somehow there was always something going on during this time. Now I have slowly gathered in the new life. I find it incredibly beautiful not to have to plan constantly how long you are at home before you go for a while because of the competitive sport. I am often there and can spend a lot of time with my two children. I really enjoy that.
Sport1: At the moment you are in training as an electronics engineer for energy and building technology. How do you get ahead?
Doll: I have completed an apprenticeship year and now start the third because I only got on in the second. The whole story takes another year and a half and it is going very, very well. The company in which I stayed is great. I really enjoy the work and my colleagues support me great. It still feels like the right decision. In principle, I was able to turn my hobby into a profession. I have always fascinated electrical engineering.
Sport1: For a former professional athlete, this is still not an ordinary way.
Doll: absolutely. Despite everything, it was and is my wish. Of course, you don’t have to fool yourself: with a certain awareness there would be easier ways to make money. I am still very connected to sport and I am happy when I can be visiting a World Cup. But the craft also has many fantastic sides.
Biathlon coach? “Central time is not an option at the moment”
Sport1: What is it like to sit back at school at the age of 35 and share a classroom with 16, 17 and 18 year olds?
Doll: There are also some older people in my class. The average age may be around 23 years. It’s very pleasant for me. If I had come to another class in which the age difference is more blatant, that might have been a different thing. But of course you notice that 18-year-olds have other worries than 34-year-old. Family planning and their own children are rarely an issue.
Sport1: What kind of school type is Benedikt Doll – the cool from the last row or the attentive at the forefront?
Doll: Let’s be honest, I am 35 years old. There are no nonsense or jokes from me (laughs). I try to absorb as much as possible at school so that I don’t have to learn so much anymore. I am happy to help my classmates. But I hate it when someone chats me during the lesson and distracts me from the topic. So I was already a child. I thought every time: I don’t have to do everything I can do at school at home. That has not changed greatly to this day.
Sport1: Did you never irritate the job as a biathlon coach?
Doll: Yes, I would also have fun with the coach, but I feel even more fun in electrical engineering. It was not that I said: ‘I definitely don’t want to become a coach.’ Somehow I wanted to do something else first, that made me more. But nothing is forever. Maybe one day I no longer feel like electrical engineering and still start as a trainer. I hope anyway that I will find time to do something like that. This is only a full -time option at the moment.
“There was no classic time.
Sport1: Boris Becker once said that it is difficult to never be able to do anything as well again in life as his sport. Is that a thought that scared you at certain times?
Doll: Even if it sounds a bit, I already had a certain talent for biathlon. Few people can practice sport as you could. Sometimes I think: Should I have continued the career to the last bit as long as it is somehow well? Do you even guilty of society to represent Germany to the outside world? Or is it okay when you say, ‘I want to pay attention to myself and my family now’? Now I’m one of many electrical engineers. As a athlete you were in a privileged position. I felt totally comfortable with my decision. But many probably think: “What is he crouching in the basement now and waving around control cabinets?”
Sport1: Is there something you miss in competitive sports? Or the opposite?
Doll: I very much enjoyed the independence that you have as a competitive athlete. Biathlon is basically a single sport. There is no trainer who takes blame for failures or presents himself. In the end you were responsible for yourself. This was this determination. This own drive to achieve something great. You always wanted to continue. Progress faster and faster. There was no classic time.
Sport1: Do you remember a special moment when you realized that it is now time to stop?
Doll: No, that was a longer process. There was always a change between the search for motivation and the 100 percent existence. In addition, there were the long absences from home. In the end, the disadvantages of competitive sports predominated for me. And then I am a person who likes to look ahead. That’s why I was looking forward to the new chapter early on. Before the 2023/24 season it was clear that it would be the last. No matter what happens.
Sport1: Which moments of your career have you remembered most?
Doll: The most beautiful moment was ultimately the 2017 World Cup title in the sprint of Hochfilzen-an incredible experience. Surprising on the one hand. On the other hand, it was also a great race, maybe my best. I had victories where I didn’t feel that good. It was different in this race. I still remember everything. To the run, to shoot. I think of the Olympic Games in Beijing as a negative experience. Three weeks in this Corona situation were extremely stressful and in the end you flew home unsuccessfully despite all the investments. That was a really formative time.
This is how Doll estimates the situation in the German biathlon
Sport1: Now you can look at German biathlon sport from a distance. How do you rate the current situation?
Doll: The fact that there is thirsty in sports every now and then that you have to go through is nothing new. It is not just about the right or wrong training, but also about the talents. There is currently a gap. But I hope that more athletes fulfill. The boys in the DSV team are very hardworking. Perhaps one day there is even a high-flyer who brings running and shooting together at a top level. It was a bit like this for me: I was a good runner, but I often didn’t get it at the shooting range. It is the same with many in the current team. Everyone can do certain things really well, but a bit is often missing to constantly move in the top of the world.
Sport1: France and Norway seem to be a good deal in the other nations in the past few years.
Doll: This cannot be dismissed. And the general situation in Germany is unfortunately not better. All sports are affected. Fewer and fewer people are doing sports, which is a shame. These are deep sports policy issues. I think a lot about how to give something back and motivate more children. In my view, however, this is also related to the parents. You have to embody a certain lifestyle. If you have no relation to sport yourself, how should the children get one?
Benedikt Doll, Who Resigned About A Year and a Half Ago, Wants to Know Again Today in Biathlon. However, The Focus is on Having Fun. The 35-Year-Old Has Long Since Arrived in his New Life, as He Tells Sport1 in an interview.
Benedikt Doll Has Been Away from the International Biathlon Stage for a Year and a Half, But on August 31 He Wants to Know Again.
The 35-Year-Old wants Take Part in the Legends Race in Dresden and Competete Against The Norwegian Biathlon Stars Johannes Thingnes and Tarjei Bö. Both Had Ended Their Careers After Last Winter. Doll already Did this after the 2023/24 season.
Benedikt Doll is Competing in A Legends Race in Dresden
Doll wants that follow the upcoming World Cup Season Again from his now family role as a spectator.
Originally, The Eight-Time World Cup Winner and Sprint World Champion from 2027 Wanted to Begin Studying Building Technology After the End of his Career. However, He then Decided to Train As An Electronics Technician for Energy and Building Technology. Sport1 has now spoken to him.
Sport1: Mr. Doll, you are strapping your rifle on your back again at the summer biathlon in Dresden and Taking Part in A Legends Race. On Instagram, you posted pictures of Yourself training and wrote: “As if i only stopped Yesterday.” How well do you still master the sport?
Benedikt Doll: Surprisingly Good Actually. Many processes are still largely in place. When shooting, of course, everything wobbles a little more than before. I Didn’t Even Have My Own Weapon, but trained with one from our local base. Nevertheless, I Didn’t Feel Like I was doing biathlon for the first time in my life (Laughs).
“I’m more of a decoration there”
Sport1: How Often Have You Been To a Shooting Range Sion the End of Your Career?
Doll: Maybe Two Or Three Times. Basically, Almost Never.
Sport1: What are your expectations for the event?
Doll: The Organizer Asked Me And Said that Tarjei and Johannes Thinges Bö are coming. I don’t even know if we’Re More thane People Now – The Real Legends Are The Bö Brothers. I’m more of a decoration there. Of course, it will primary be about having fun and not about getting every second out of the track. If we start Fighting for Every Tenth of a Second, it would be a bit silly. But as an athlete, you Often Tick a Little Differently. I do Believe That In The End You Want To Make Sure That Everything Fits at the Shooting Range and that you So make progress on the track. Ambition Always Drives You.
Sport1: Johannes Thingnes Bö Has Been Very Active in Sports in Recent Weeks. Hey a marathon and is now playing soccer. What is it like for you in this Regard?
Doll: I took Part in the Ultrabike Marathon in the Black Forest with a team. It is one of the biggest cycling races in Europe. OtherWise, I Tend to Limit MySelf to Casual Recreational Sports. I have Two Children at Home and an Apprenticeship Underway. There’s not much time left. But i’ve Decided to Take Part in Another Run Next Year. The Schluchseelauf Over a Distance of 18.2 Kilometer Takes Place Near Us.
“I was to turn my hobby into a profession”
Sport1: You Ended Your Biathlon Career About a Year and a Half Ago. How Have You Experienced the Time Since Then?
Doll: Overall very positive. I had actually hoped that i would have haven half a year of peace before the training started. But somehow there was Always Something Going on During this time. Now i have slowly settled into my new life. I think it’s Incredibly Nice Not to have to constant plan how long you’re still at home before you leave again for a while Becaus of Competitive Sports. I’m there and can spend a lot of time with my Two Children. I Really Enjoy That.
Sport1: You are currently training to be an Electronics Technician for Energy and Building Technology. How are you getting on with that?
Doll: I have complete one year of apprenticeship and am now starting the third, Because I Only Joined in the Second. The Whole Thing Will Take Another Year and a Half, And It’s Going very, very well. The Company I’m working for is great. I enjoy the work immensely and my Colleagues support me great. It still feels like the right decision. In Principle, I was a dim my hobby into a profession. I have Always Been Fascinated by Electrical Engineering.
Sport1: For a Former Professional Athlete, that’s still not a complete Ordinary Path.
Doll: absolutely. Despite Everything, it was and is my wish. Of course, you have to be realistic: with a certain level of fame, there would be easy ways to earn money. I am Still Very Connected to the Sport and I Am Happy When I Can Visit A World Cup. But the craft so many fantastic sides.
Biathlon coach? “Being a full-time job is not an option at the moment”
Sport1: What is it like to be back in school at the Age of 35 and Share a Classroom with 16, 17 and 18 years olds?
Doll: There are some older people in my class. The Average Age there is perhaps around 23 years. That’s very Pleasant for me. If i had been in another class where the Age difference was more extreme, it might Have been a differ matter. But Sure, of Course You Notice that 18-Year-Olds Have Different Worries Than 34-Year-Olds. Family Planning and Having Your Own Children are rarely topics.
Sport1: What Kind of School Type is Benedikt Doll – The Cool Guy In The Back Row Or the Attentive One at the Front?
Doll: Let’s Be Honest, I’m 35 Years Old. There are no more pranks or jokes from me (Laughs). I Try to Absorb as much as possible at school so that i don’t have to learn so much at home. I Really Enjoy Helping My Classmates. But I hate it when someone talks to me during class and distributs me from the topic. I was like that as a child. I Thought to MySelf Every Time: Everything I Do at School, I Don’t have to do at home anymore. That hasn’t changed much to this day.
Sport1: Has the job as a biathlon coach never appealed to you?
Doll: Yes, I would definitely Enjoy BEING A COACH, but I Enjoy Electrical Engineering Even more. It wasn’t like I Said, ‘i Definitly Don’t Want to be a coach.’ Somehow I Wanted to Do Something Else First, That Appealed to Me More. But Nothing Lasts Forever. Maybe One Day I Won’t Feel Like Doing Electrical Engineering Anymore and Will Start as a Trainer. I Hope Anyway That I Will Find Time to Do Something Like that on a voluntary basis. But Being a full-time job is not an option at the moment.
“There was no classic sitting out”
SPORT1: Boris Becker Once Said Said Said to the effect that it is difficult in life to never be die to do something as well as his sport. Is that a thought that made you made you anxious at certain times?
Doll: even if it sounds a bit aloof: i already had a certain talent for biathlon. Few People Can Practice The Sport The Way You You Yourself Once Could. I Sometimes Wonder: Should I have continued my career to the last ounce, as long as it was going? Do you even owe it to society to reprresent germany to the outside world? Or is okay to say: ‘I want to take care of myelf and my family Now’? Now i’m One of many electrical engineers. As an athlete, you were in a privileged position. I felt total comfortable with my decision. But many people Proplably Think: “What’s He Doing Sitting in the Basement Fiddling with Control Cabinets?”
Sport1: is there anyding you miss About Competitive Sport? Or the opposite?
Doll: I Really Enjoyed the Independence that You Often have as a Competitive Athlete. Biathlon is Basically in individual sport. There is no coach who takes the blame for failures or stand in front of you. In the end, you were responsible for yourself. You so had this determination. This Inner Drive to Achieve Something Great. You Always Wanted to Keep Going. Always get ahead Faster. There was no classic sitting out.
Sport1: Do you remember a specific moment when you realized that it was what time to stop?
Doll: No, that a Longer Process. There was what always a change between Looking for Motivation and Being 100 Percent there. So the Long Absences from Home. So in the end, The Disadvantated of Competitive Sport Outweighthed the Advantated for Me. And then I’m person who likes to look forward. That’s why i was looking forward to the new chapter early on. Before the 2023/24 season, it was clear that it would be the last. No matter What Happens.
Sport1: which moments of your career do you remember the most?
Doll: The Best Moment What Ultimately the 2017 World Championship Title In The Sprint in Hochfilzen – an Incredible Experience. On the one hand surfing. On the other hand, it was a great race, Maybe my best ever. I had wins where i didn’t feel so good at all. It was different with this race. I still Remember Everything Today. The Running Lap, The Shooting. The Olympic Games in Beijing Come to mind as a negative experience. Three Weeks in this corona situation were extremely stressful and in the end you flew home with hout success despite all the investments. That a real formative time.
This is How Doll Assesses the situation in German Biathlon
Sport1: Now you can look at german biathlon from a distance. How do you assess the current situation?
Doll: The Fact that there are Occasional lean years in sports that you have to go through is nothing new. It’s not just about the right or wrong training, but so about the talent. There is a currently a gap. But i Hope that more athletes will come along. The Guys in the DSV Team Are very hard-working. Maybe One Day There will even be overachiever Who Combines Running and Shooting at a Top Level. It was a bit like that with me: i was a good runner, but i Often Didn’t Manage it at the shooting range. It’s the same with many in the Current team. Everyone Can do Certain Things Really Well, but there is Often a Knack for Being Consistently at the Top of the World.
Sport1: France and Norway Seem to Have Left the other Nations Behind by a Good Margin in Recent Years.
Doll: That Cannot Be Denied. And the general situation in Germany is unfortunately not getting any better. All Sports are affected by this. Fewer and Fewer People are doing sports, which is a great pity. THESE ARE DEEP Sports Policy Issues. I Think A Lot about How I Can Give Something Back MySelf and Motorate More Children to do it. From My Point of View, However, This is related to the parents. They have to embody a certain lifestyle. If they Themelves have no Connection to Sports, How Are the Children Supposed to Get One?