Biathlon: 90s Legend Returns as Coach!

Austria Bets on 90s Legend

The Austrian Ski Federation announced on Thursday that Ludwig Gredler has been appointed as the new head coach of their men's biathlon team. Gredler, a well-known figure from the 90s, is expected to lead the nation back towards being a competitive force in the sport's elite ranks.

Ludwig Gredler is taking over as head coach of the ÖSV Biathlon men's team.

Gredler started his World Cup career in the 1990s and enjoyed significant success, including six World Cup victories and two medals at World Championships: bronze in the individual event in Osrblie in 1997 and silver in Oslo in 2000 over the same distance. After retiring, he worked in various capacities, most recently as a co-trainer.

In his new role, Gredler faces a tough task ahead. The Austrian men's team struggled significantly last season, with their top athlete, Simon Eder, finishing 36th in the overall World Cup standings.

The goal for the upcoming home World Championships in Hochfilzen 2028 is to reduce the gap to the world elite substantially.

Gredler on the Challenge Ahead

"We know the challenges ahead, but our focus is to develop a strategy to bring young athletes back into the senior elite ranks in the near future. By 2028, we want to have a men’s team that can contend for a spot among the top six nations," said ÖSV sports director Mario Stecher.

Nevertheless, Gredler is eager to take on the challenge and calls for close communication between the World Cup squad and the second training group.

His primary priority is to reclaim the fifth starting position in the World Cup and gradually help some young athletes work their way into the top twenty. "We all acknowledge that the golden times have temporarily passed," he reflected, emphasizing the importance of pursuing a consistent strategy going forward.