"4, this is just great !"
Interview with Marion Blondeau

Are you satisfied with your season ?
Yes very much! My aim were the world championships, where I wanted to be good … do a good shooting and skiing. Unfortunately, I was ill before the European Championships and also very exhausted, but nevertheless we have won with a medal in the relay. This is great!

Did you expect your 4 WCh medals?
No. I wanted to be in Top 10 all races and maybe win a medal … but 4, this is just great !

I have read that there were groups of students in Presque Isle that supported the different nations …
Yes, this was cool. There were students from different schools and every school supported another nation. During competitions they didn't went to school, but to the stadium.

What is up to now the most beautiful moment of your career?
Ouf … this is difficult. I think my very first victory. This was very cool … I had to cry and it was very emotional.

What are your strong points ?
I think this is the skiing. Sometimes I am also better in shooting, but mainly the skiing.

How did you discover Biathlon ?

In France you start with cross-country and then, sometime, you've to decide if you want to continue or change to Biathlon. The first time I shoot was in a contest and I was pretty good, so I decided to do Biathlon.

What think or do you feel before a running? Do you have a ritual?
Nothing special. I think of technical things. To what I must pay attention while shooting or skiing and things like that. And a ritual … have I a ritual? (laughs) I do not know. I think no.

What is your favourite discipline?
The relay and the mass start.

Do you have an idol?
Not really … Magdalena Forsberg is a big idol. When I started biathlon, she just won everything, this was very impressive.

What is your job ?
I am a student. I study dietetics … special nutrition for sportsman.

What are your goals for the upcoming season ? Take a look to Vancouver 2010 …
Medals in junior world championships, podiums … to do good races and make progress. Of course, the big aim are Olympics in Vancouver and I hope, I will reach it.

You train in the " Pôle France " in Prémanon. How do we have to imagine it there?
We are several athletes there, e.g., Marine Rougeot also trains there and we train together. There are different trainers who help us and give tips.
This was established, so that the young athletes can continue biathlon after the BAC without problems. We also study, but it is rather a kind of correspondence course. There are no teachers and it is no boarding school or something similar. We've all our own apartments.

Have you made progress because of this establishment ?
I think yes. It helps to train in a good group. We have many different trainers there and this is, of course, very good.

Do you also have contact to athletes of other nations?
(laughs) … yeees … (laughs) Of course ! We get on with the Germans very well, e.g., Daniel Böhm and the other juniors. We sometimes celebrate together and have fun …

What's the first thing you do, when you come home after a long season ?
To visit my family and friends whom I have not seen for long time.

Interview made by Anne Gassner in march 2006