Biathlete Johannes Dale (25) suffered a brutal triple blow in what he calls “the darkest valley” for an athlete. He has a long list of people to thank for pulling him off.
– There were three major blows in a relatively short time.
In the “shit season” 2021/22, push-ups were expected Give it; first it was demolished by the World Cup team; then it became known that it was the wreck for the Olympics; in March it became wrecked by the national team and reported to the recruiting team.
– It is clear that it is incredibly difficult. In sports, there are three pretty intense things to achieve in the same season. In ordinary life you can experience worse things, but sportingly I have experienced some of the hardest things you can experience, Dale says today.
But after the rain, the birds sang and Dale finished the World Cup season with his second individual victory. He struggled to hold back tears after his joint start triumph in Annecy-Le Grand Bornand in France, his second ever World Cup victory.
Thus, Christmas was celebrated in Røros with the fiancée and in-laws characterized by a much greater serenity, after a year of turmoil. Dale is back in earnest among the elite.
– Anders Øverby, my recruiting team coach, asked me over coffee what I felt (after the win). The first thing was the relief that I made it, but then I gradually came to the conclusion that I am also very proud. It makes me proud to have made that U-turn from the darkest valley. I couldn’t ask for more, says Dale.
The recruiting team environment, mother and father (“great motivators”) and girlfriend Kristina Skjevdal were important supporters in breaking the vicious spiral he was in.
– It was hard for them too. They saw how I was. They have definitely been my biggest supporters.
– How was it for your boyfriend?
– You, in a sense, are involved as much as I am, then. Last year I wasn’t doing very well, it wasn’t much fun to resist and it was hard to hide. I’m pretty sure she noticed. When I lost my place in the national team, I was just shocked.
Despite all the setbacks: On April 25, Dale announced on Instagram that Skjevdal had said yes! to his proposal.
– I was thinking “should I propose now, sort of?”, but soon found that I just couldn’t let the lows reign when I proposed. It was well done to support me, I think it was difficult to keep the mask.
However, there is another resource that has helped Dale turn the tide. Ole Einar’s former mental coach Bjørndalen Øyvind Hammer received a call from the 25-year-old before Christmas last year.
– The first thing he said was “I’m waiting for you to call me”. A very good cooperation started, we clicked quite quickly. I used it daily during the racing season, it was very important in getting the boat going, Dale says – and he says Hammer has helped him see biathlon as a little outside of his own bubble.
Dale’s biggest recovery also came with good timing considering the upcoming world championships in Oberhof, February 8-19.
– I walk into the new year with my shoulders down, knowing what I did was good enough.
But was this good enough?
