Emil Nykvist took bronze in the distance race at the European Championship last winter, but didn't get to compete in the World Championship before he fell ill and had to go home.
Nykvist is together with cross-country skiing star Stina Nilsson and they live in Malung. The reason he is now making a solo effort, outside the national team, is that the national team has its base in Östersund and he wants to train at home in Dalarna instead.
That I fully respect. The most important thing is that everyone goes their own way and supports each other in that, that both sides do what they believe in, says Johannes Lukas in a digital press conference.
On the question of whether Nykvist will also focus on cross-country skiing, like his partner, Lukas responds:
I haven't heard anything about him wanting to do cross-country skiing. I reckon he'll focus fully on biathlon and wants to qualify for the World Cup and the Olympic Games.
Johanna Skottheim, who has been outside the national team for a year, is now back.
It's really fun to be back in this environment and get to spar with some of the world's best every day, she says.
Skottheim started last season's competitions in the IBU Cup, but got to do the World Cup after Christmas. She was part of the World Championship team, but didn't get to compete in Lenzerheide.
The Swedish biathletes' big goal for the coming season is of course the Olympic Games in Milano-Cortina on February 6-22.
Ingela Ahlberg/TT
Facts: The National Biathlon Team for the 2025-26 Season
TT
Women: Anna Magnusson, Piteå, Anna-Karin Heijdenberg, Tullus, Ella Halvarsson, Biathlon Östersund, Elvira Öberg, Piteå, Hanna Öberg, do, Johanna Skottheim, Lima, Linn Gestblom, Bore, Sara Andersson, Mora.
Men: Anton Ivarsson, Tullus, Jesper Nelin, Biathlon Östersund, Malte Stefansson, Oxberg, Martin Ponsiluoma, Tullus, Sebastian Samuelsson, I 21, Viktor Brandt, I 2.
