Following Part 1 posted on Proxcskiing.com, Part 2 delves further into Tiril Eckhoff’s life after her decorated Biathlon career.

Tiril Eckhoff, two-time Olympic champion in biathlon, spoke with Proxcskiing.com in Belgrade, Serbia, during the 16th Ordinary IBU Congress. Eckhoff’s post-retirement life is a mix of studying, TV commentary, motivational and keynote speaking, and even prison reform.

“I’ve been doing a lot and not so much, but I have been studying and studying”

Eckhoff explained her primary new venture: “I study management. So, I do that as well as I joined TV2 for cross-country  [Norwegian TV]. …This winter, I also will [commentate] some cross-country, like the World Championship in Trondheim. I do some television stuff and some commercial advertising, and I do some motivational speaking.”

Read more: Biathlon World Cup and World Championships: Calendar for the 2024/2025 winter season 

Changing Tracks 

Her commitment to self-improvement seems clear. However, Eckhoff’s new life path took an unexpected turn when she began working on prison reform in Norway. She explained her role: “I am working intensely. I have been going to jails in Norway and talking with the inmates.”

While this may seem like a stark contrast to her sporting career, Tiril finds similarities between athletes leaving their structured training environments and prisoners transitioning back into society: “They are quite similar to the athletes, because when they’re [prisoners are] out, it’s the same as us when you’re out of biathlon… you’re suddenly not there anymore. You’re like, totally out of the system. That’s the thing that’s like me; I need to have a new path in life, and it’s the same for them as well, and that’s hard to find a new direction.”
 
Eckhoff, who describes this work as all pro bono, believes strongly in the importance of helping people transition out of confinement—whether from a sport or prison. “I’m lucky. I have a good life, but they are in such other conditions.”

Holmenkollen for 2029 

The IBU board recommended Holmenkollen as the host for the World Championships, and during the vote on Saturday afternoon, 91% of the congress delegates backed the board’s proposal.
 
Oslo Mayor Anne Lindboe spoke with Proxcsking.com at the Congress in Belgrade, “This will be a celebration that unites Oslo and brings sports even closer to the people. The championship is also a unique opportunity to strengthen engagement in volunteer work, and we look forward to welcoming the biathlon circus back to Oslo.”

Read more: Prize money changes for biathlon

See Part 1 from Tiril Eckhoff’s interview: Tiril Eckhoff: Life after biathlon – Part 1