A trash bag and a basil plant cost the 26-year-old two national team training camps and forced the World Champion to train alternatively for several weeks.

The season’s preparations took an unfortunate turn when Swedish biathlete Viktor Brandt went to take out the trash.

“I was going out with a trash bag and was reading on a basil plant about how to grow it. Then I didn’t see the last step, and I twisted my ankle,” the 2024 Relay World Champion told SVT.

But it turned out to be more than a simple sprain.

“I tore two ligaments on the outside of my foot, and it caused a hell of a lot of trouble,” he said.

Brandt also revealed that this isn’t the first time something like this has happened.

“I’m used to this. I’ve fallen in all kinds of places my whole life, so I think people who know me are aware of how clumsy I am,” he said.

“Trained Better Than Ever”

Brandt still doesn’t believe the accident will have serious consequences for his preparations and expects to compete in the Swedish Summer Biathlon Championships later in August.

“I’ve been able to train really well despite the mishap, maybe even better than ever. Luckily, it was so early in the season, so I expect to be in good shape,” Brandt said.

“I haven’t been able to skate as much as I would have liked, and I missed both the altitude camp in Italy and the camp in Sollefteå. But now that I’m back with the others and have compared times with earlier tests on the roller ski treadmill, I think I’m in really good shape,” he added.

Aiming for the Olympics

Brandt was part of the Swedish team that won gold in the relay at the 2024 World Championships in Nove Mesto and has three World Cup relay podiums. In the pursuit race at the World Cup finals in Holmenkollen last winter, he delivered his first career individual top-10 finish.

Also Read – Biathlon World Cup: Lægreid wins 12.5km pursuit in Oslo Holmenkollen

Now he has his sights set on the 2026 Olympics. But preparations for the season have not gone entirely according to plan. In recent weeks, his training has consisted mainly of cycling and double-poling machine work.

“Of course, it’s not the ideal buildup,” he admitted.

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