Ella Halvarsson bubbled with joy when she was interviewed by SVT after her sensational World Championship silver in the 15-kilometer distance race in Lenzerheide, Switzerland.
It's completely crazy. I can barely believe it myself. Wow! says the 25-year-old.
In the World Cup premiere in Kontiolax, Halvarsson won the single mixed relay together with Sebastian Samuelsson, and then came second in the short distance.
"So incredibly happy"
Now the World Cup debutant is also a silver medalist at a World Championship – her first World Championship in her career.
It's just like melting Kontiolax. I'm out of words. I'm just so incredibly happy, she tells SVT.
Halvarsson suffered fractures in one hand after a cycling accident during a vacation in Denmark in 2023, which caused problems with her shooting. Illnesses have also kept her out of a spot in the A-team.
It's been up and down. This year has really gone so incredibly well, the whole training year. It feels like all the other years you've struggled, now you get the harvest from it.
Halvarsson was flawless – hitting 20 out of 20 shots – and fast on the shooting range. She tried to calm herself down to get rid of the nerves and thought only positive thoughts about the shooting.
I'm offensive. Now we're going. It was like a mantra that just kept spinning in my head, she says about the shooting and continues:
Somewhere I got a confidence boost today. I had a really bad start and thought this could go either way. I think you should have a bad start, then it usually goes well.
Hanna Öberg shot herself out
The Swede took over the lead when she crossed the finish line, but was almost immediately passed by the Frenchwoman Julia Simon (one miss), who took the World Championship gold in superior style.
After that, no one could threaten Halvarsson's silver spot – bronze medalist Lou Jeanmonnot, France, was 1.4 seconds behind the Swede.
Elvira Öberg got her first miss in the fourth and final shooting, which meant that the chance of a medal disappeared and she finished sixth.
Anna Magnusson had two misses and finished in 29th place. Hanna Öberg, who has taken Olympic gold and two World Championship golds in distance, shot herself out. After a total of five misses, the 29-year-old finished 43rd.
Born: October 22, 1999 in Borlänge.
Club: Biathlon Östersund.
Background: Skied both cross-country and biathlon as a youngster. Took Junior World Championship gold in relay in 2018, among others with Elvira Öberg. Didn't give up skiing until the 2020-21 season when she also joined the junior national team and got to compete in the IBU Cup, with several top 10 placings.
Has been part of the development national team for several years and joined the A-team last summer.
Surprised in the first World Cup competition of the season when she in Kontiolax won the single mixed relay together with Sebastian Samuelsson and came second in the short distance. Is currently in 12th place in the World Cup.
Current: Took World Championship silver in the 15-kilometer distance race.
