The Austrian biathlete Anna Gandler recovered in the Maldives of a season overshadowed by disturbing health problems. The trip acts as a “small therapy”, but remain warning signals.
A couple vacation in the Maldives: wonderful weather, picturesque sandy beaches, cocktails, diving trips, sea romance.
For most others it would be a relaxing break in front of a paradise backdrop. For biathlete Anna Gandler, plagued by troubling health problems for a long time, it is a little more.
“My body is virtually poisoned”
The Austrian recently treated herself to a ten-day break on the tropical islands in the Indian Ocean with her partner and biathlon colleague Emilien Claude after she had a winter of misfortune.
The 19th of the overall World Cup in 2024 had to cancel the 2025 season prematurely after it was plagued by physical problems for a long time: knee and back pain on the one hand, but also more complicated ailments that have proven to be very profound in studies.
“As it looks, my whole organic system does not run as it should, such as the liver,” said the 24-year-old recently to the small newspaper : “My entire body is almost poisoned because it no longer regenerates itself, it can no longer come after and is overwhelmed.”
Sleeping was a special problem “because my body could never really regenerate. And I’ve pulled that since June”.
Vacation as therapy – warning signals remain
As Gandler now describes, the trip to the far away was needed to bring normality into her physical rhythm at least temporarily: “I was finally able to sleep through a night,” she says to the small newspaper now.
She has already noticed that the problems are not out of the world with it: “It was pleasant and beautiful. The vacation was a little therapy, but almost too short, because at home I noticed that it goes in the other direction. It is steps and the main therapy is unfortunately to be calm and not strain on it. I must not ignore such signals.”
The training for the preparation for the 2025/26 Olympic season has already started, she completes light running, bike and scooter units.
Gandler will soon increase the intensity with a trip to Freund Claude in southern France, the hope of a more successful sporty winter is there. Nevertheless, the priorities have reorganized themselves somewhat. Your biggest wish at the moment? “Just be healthy.”