Magdalena Neuner facts for kids
![]() Magdalena Neuner in Wallgau, Germany, in April 2011
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Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Birth name | Magdalena Neuner | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born | Garmisch-Partenkirchen, West Germany |
9 February 1987 ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 5 ft 5 in | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Professional information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sport | Biathlon | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Club | SC Wallgau | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
World Cup debut | 13 January 2006 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Retired | 18 March 2012 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Olympic Games | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Teams | 1 (2010) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medals | 3 (2 gold) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
World Championships | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Teams | 6 (2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medals | 17 (12 gold) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
World Cup | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Seasons | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Individual victories | 34 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Individual podiums | 63 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Overall titles | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Discipline titles | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Updated on 18 March 2012. |
Magdalena "Lena" Holzer (born 9 February 1987), whose maiden name was Neuner, is a retired German professional biathlon athlete. She is known as one of the most successful women ever at the Biathlon World Championships. She also won two gold medals at the Winter Olympics.
Magdalena became the youngest person to win the Overall World Cup title in the history of the International Biathlon Union (IBU) when she was 21. She won 34 World Cup races, placing her second all-time for career victories. Holzer won the Overall World Cup title three times: in 2007–08, 2009–10, and in her final season in 2011–12. She retired from the sport in March 2012 at just 25 years old. She said she wanted a normal life and felt less motivated to compete.
Magdalena started biathlon when she was nine. She won five junior world championship titles between 2004 and 2006. She first competed in the World Cup in 2006 and won her first World Cup race in January 2007. A month later, she won three gold medals at her first Biathlon World Championships. In the 2007–08 season, Holzer won the Overall World Cup and three more titles at the 2008 World Championships.
After a less successful year in 2008–09, she competed in her first Winter Olympic Games in 2010. There, she won gold medals in both the pursuit and the mass start races. She also won a silver medal in the sprint race. Holzer also won the 2009–10 Overall World Cup title. At the 2011 World Championships, she won three more gold medals. In her last winter season, Holzer won two more titles at the 2012 World Championships. She also claimed the Overall World Cup for a third time.
During her seven World Cup seasons, Holzer won 34 World Cup races and finished on the podium 63 times. As part of Germany's team, she won ten relay races and three mixed relay events. In six appearances at the Biathlon World Championships, Holzer earned 17 medals: twelve gold, four silver, and one bronze. She also won seven junior world championship titles. Holzer was known for being one of the fastest cross-country skiers in biathlon. Early in her career, her shooting in the standing position was sometimes inconsistent, which could affect her results.
Holzer has lived in the Bavarian village of Wallgau since she was born. When she was 16, she joined the German Customs Administration. This allowed her to become part of the government-funded Customs-Ski-Team. Since winning three world championship gold medals in 2007, Holzer became one of Germany's most popular female athletes. She was named German Sportswoman of the Year in 2007, 2011, and 2012.
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Early Life and Training
Magdalena Holzer was born in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, a German alpine town. She was the second of four children. Her father, Paul Neuner, was a bank clerk, and her mother was Margit. She has an older brother, Paul, and two younger siblings, Christoph and Anna. Her sister Anna also competes in biathlon at junior levels.
Magdalena grew up in Wallgau, a small Bavarian village about 15 kilometers (9 miles) from Garmisch-Partenkirchen. She started alpine skiing at age four. Later, she tried other winter sports at her local ski club, SC Wallgau. At 16, Holzer finished high school and decided to become a professional biathlete. Her parents were unsure at first but eventually supported her dream.
Starting Biathlon
Holzer began biathlon when she was nine years old. She tried it out at her local ski club. She won 29 races at the German Ski Association's (DSV) biathlon Student's Cup. She won the overall title for her age group for four years in a row, from 1999 to 2002. After school, Holzer joined the German Customs Administration in August 2003. This made her a member of the government-supported Customs-Ski-Team. She was a full-time athlete, not having to do customs work.
In December 2003, Holzer won the German Cup for 17-year-olds. This led to her competing in the 2003–04 European Cup for juniors. She won four races at the European level. This qualified her for the 2004 Junior/Youth World Championships in Haute Maurienne, France. There, she won the sprint and relay events and a silver medal in the pursuit.
One year later, at the 2005 Junior/Youth World Championships in Kontiolahti, Finland, she won two silver medals (pursuit and relay). She also won the sprint event again. By 18, Holzer was seen as one of Germany's most promising biathlon talents. She even signed a sponsorship deal before achieving any senior results.
World Cup Debut
During the 2005–06 season, Neuner first competed in the Biathlon World Cup. Her coach had considered her two years earlier, but her parents and local coaches wanted her to start when she was ready. On 13 January 2006, Neuner made her World Cup debut in a sprint race in Ruhpolding, Germany. She finished 41st, but was chosen for nine more World Cup races that season.
Neuner returned to the 2006 Junior/Youth World Championships in Presque Isle, Maine, United States. She won two more titles (pursuit and relay) and a silver medal in the sprint. She did not compete in the 2006 Winter Olympics. At the World Cup in Kontiolahti in March 2006, Neuner achieved her first top ten finishes. She was fourth in the sprint and ninth in the mass start race.
Career Highlights
First World Championship Titles
Neuner became a regular in the German team in the 2006–07 season. She was one of the fastest cross-country skiers in biathlon. At 19, she often had the fastest course times. On 5 January 2007, Neuner won her first World Cup event, a sprint race in Oberhof, Germany. This victory at home, in front of 19,000 people, brought her much media attention. Two days later, in the pursuit race, she forgot to reload her rifle. She still finished third despite six shooting mistakes.
Neuner was supposed to compete at the junior world championships in 2007. But after her first World Cup win, she was chosen for the senior 2007 World Championships in Antholz, Italy. On 3 February 2007, she won gold in the sprint. It was her first world championship event and only her second senior victory. A day later, she also won the pursuit title, even with four shooting errors. After finishing 14th in the mass start, Neuner also won gold in the relay race on 11 February 2007. With three titles, she was the most successful athlete at the championships and the youngest triple world champion.
She continued her success with four more World Cup wins. In March 2007, Neuner won pursuit and mass start races in Oslo, Norway. She also won sprint and pursuit events at the season final in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia. This gave her seven career World Cup wins. She finished her first full season fourth in the Overall World Cup standings. Neuner quickly became one of Germany's most popular female athletes. By the end of 2007, she had earned a lot of money from sponsorships.
Winning the Overall World Cup
After missing the podium at the first two World Cups of the 2007–08 season, Neuner was part of Germany's winning relay team in Pokljuka, Slovenia, in December 2007. She won her eighth World Cup race in the mass start in Oberhof in January 2008. Later that month, she won the relay race in Ruhpolding with the German team. Just before her 21st birthday, Neuner competed in the Junior/Youth World Championships in Ruhpolding in January 2008. She won gold in the sprint and pursuit.
At the 2008 World Championships in Östersund, Sweden, Neuner tried to manage expectations. She did not defend her sprint and pursuit titles due to shooting errors. On 12 February 2008, she won the mixed relay, earning her first gold medal there. Four days later, she won her second title in the mass start. She had four shooting errors but still beat Norway's Tora Berger. Neuner also won gold in the relay race on 17 February 2008. By winning three more titles, she became the youngest six-time world champion.
In the following World Cups, she won sprint races in Pyeongchang, South Korea, and in Khanty-Mansiysk. With a second-place finish in the mass start, Neuner won the 2007–08 Mass start World Cup. At the season final in Oslo, she also won the Sprint World Cup. She took the yellow bib as the Overall World Cup leader for the first time. In the last race, a ninth place in the mass start secured Neuner the 2007–08 Overall Biathlon World Cup victory. She was the youngest Overall World Cup winner since the International Biathlon Union started in 1993.
Challenges and Comebacks
Neuner's training for the 2008–09 season was affected by illnesses. She had to pause training for seven weeks due to an intestinal fungus. In October 2008, she got the flu, and in November, a bacterial infection made her miss two weeks of training. This caused her ski speed to drop at the start of the season. In the first four World Cups, Neuner only reached two individual podiums, mostly due to good shooting, not her skiing.
After the Christmas break, her skiing improved. In Ruhpolding in January 2009, Neuner was part of the winning German relay team. She won the Ruhpolding sprint and the following pursuit event. Neuner missed the podium in Antholz. She was leading the mass start by 53.6 seconds before the final shooting, where she missed all five targets. She ended up finishing sixth. She later called this a "total end of the world" moment.
Neuner faced more challenges at the 2009 World Championships in Pyeongchang. She struggled with a cold and many shooting errors. She finished eighth in the sprint and eleventh in the pursuit. She was not chosen for the individual race and could not start in the mixed relay due to her cold. On 21 February 2009, Neuner won silver as part of Germany's women's relay team. On the last day, she finished seventh in the mass start race.
At the Olympic test event in Vancouver, Canada, in March 2009, Neuner won the 2008–09 Individual World Cup. She also won the Vancouver relay race with the German team. At the season final in Khanty-Mansiysk, Neuner won the pursuit race. She ended the season fourth in the Overall Biathlon World Cup. Neuner later said the 2008–09 season was very hard for her mentally due to public expectations. She even thought about retiring. She started working with a psychologist and reduced her media appearances.
Olympic Gold Medals
Neuner competed at the Summer Biathlon World Championships for the first time in September 2009. She won gold in all three competitions (sprint, pursuit, and mixed relay). Neuner missed the first World Cup of the 2009–10 season due to a cold. She returned at the next races but was still affected and finished outside the top 20. Her first podiums came in Pokljuka, finishing third in the sprint and second in the pursuit. This secured her spot on the German Olympic team.
Before the Oberhof sprint in January 2010, Neuner injured her back and had to withdraw. She returned in Ruhpolding, finishing third in both the sprint and mass start. In her first relay of the season, she had two penalty loops, and Germany finished fourth. At the last World Cup before the 2010 Winter Olympics, Neuner won two events: her first individual race and the sprint. She also came in second in the pursuit, marking her seventh straight podium finish.
Neuner went into her first Winter Olympics in Vancouver aiming for a gold medal. On 13 February 2010, she competed in the opening sprint. With one shooting error, Neuner won the silver medal. Three days later, Neuner won gold in the pursuit race. She missed two targets but still beat the sprint winner. In her third Olympic event, she finished tenth in the individual. On 21 February 2010, Neuner won her second gold medal in the mass start. She had been behind by 29 seconds after missing two targets, but she caught up and took the lead on the last lap. After the race, Neuner decided not to participate in the relay. She said she was mentally tired and wanted her teammates to have a chance at a medal. Neuner was Germany's most successful athlete in Vancouver and carried the German flag at the closing ceremony.
After her Olympic success, Neuner continued her good form. She finished all remaining races in the top ten. She won her 19th World Cup race in Khanty-Mansiysk's mass start, which secured her the 2009–10 Overall World Cup title. She was the first German woman to win the Biathlon World Cup twice. She also won the pursuit and mass start discipline World Cups. In the last event, the 2010 Mixed Relay World Championship, she won gold, her seventh world title.
Becoming a Record World Champion
During the summer of 2010, Neuner admitted she was struggling for motivation. She had won every major title in biathlon by age 23. However, she decided to continue her career until at least the 2012 world championships in Ruhpolding. In December 2010, she missed the first World Cup of the 2010–11 season due to a cold. She started the season in Hochfilzen, where she had two seventh-place finishes and was part of the winning German relay team. At the third stop in Pokljuka, she won the sprint race, her 20th career victory.
Neuner had mixed results in January 2011. She reached the podium in sprints in Oberhof and Ruhpolding. In the Oberhof relay, Germany finished sixth, their worst result since 2005. She also had her worst personal result in 13 months, finishing 16th in the Ruhpolding individual race. This ended her streak of 24 consecutive top ten finishes. At the World Cup in Antholz, Neuner was ill again. She only competed in the mass start, finishing sixth.
In February, at the World Cup stops in the United States, Neuner felt better and showed more consistency. Her worst result was a sixth-place finish. In Presque Isle, Maine, she won the mixed relay with the German team. A week later in Fort Kent, Maine, Neuner finished on the podium in all three races. She won her 21st World Cup race in the mass start, the last race before the world championships.
At the 2011 World Championships in Khanty-Mansiysk, Neuner won three gold and two silver medals. She won silver in the opening mixed relay. On 5 March 2011, Neuner won the sprint race with perfect shooting. She finished second in the pursuit and fifth in the individual. On 12 March 2011, Neuner won her second title in the mass start despite four shooting errors. The next day, she also won gold in the women's relay. Running the last part for Germany, Neuner started in fourth place but caught up and took the lead on the last lap. Her five medals made her the most successful female athlete in the history of Biathlon World Championships.
The season ended with disappointment for Neuner in Oslo. After winning her 24th career sprint, she was second in the Overall World Cup. However, she got a cold again and had to withdraw from the pursuit race. This ended her hopes of keeping the World Cup crown. She finished fifth in the overall standings, having missed five of the season's 26 races.
Final Season and Retirement
Before the 2011–12 season, Neuner hinted it might be her last. She started the winter in Östersund with her best season start ever. She won her 25th World Cup race in the sprint. She also came third in the individual and pursuit races, taking the yellow bib as the Overall World Cup leader. On 6 December 2011, Neuner announced on her website that she would retire from biathlon at the end of the season. She explained that she lacked motivation and wanted a normal life. Neuner continued her good form in Hochfilzen, winning her 26th World Cup race in the sprint.
After Christmas, Neuner won both individual races in Oberhof, her 27th and 28th World Cup wins. In the women's relay, she had four penalties in the final shooting, which cost Germany a likely victory. Neuner made a big mistake in the Nove Mesto pursuit, shooting at the wrong targets. She dropped from first to seventh place. She quickly recovered by winning the sprint race in Antholz a week later. In February, Neuner won both the sprint and pursuit in Oslo, even though she had a cold. At the last World Cup before the world championships in Kontiolahti, she achieved her sixth sprint win of the season.
At the 2012 World Championships in Ruhpolding, Neuner won bronze in the opening mixed relay. On 3 March 2012, she won her 11th world title in the sprint race with perfect shooting. Neuner dropped to second place a day later in the pursuit. During the second week, Neuner struggled with her shooting. She finished 23rd in the individual, her worst world championships result. With her teammates, she won her second gold medal in Ruhpolding in the women's relay on 10 March 2012, despite a penalty loop. In the final mass start, Neuner finished tenth with six shooting mistakes. Her 12th gold medal made her the second most successful biathlete of all time at world championships.
Neuner had led the standings since the second race of the winter. She won her third Overall World Cup title at the season final in Russia. There, she claimed her 34th and final World Cup win in the sprint. Neuner also won the 2011–12 Sprint World Cup with eight out of ten sprint wins. With ten victories in total, her final World Cup season was her most successful. She also became only the second woman to win the overall title more than twice. On 18 March 2012, Neuner ended her biathlon career with a sixth place in the Khanty-Mansiysk mass start.
Skiing Skills

Neuner was one of the fastest female cross-country skiers in biathlon. In 66 of her 151 World Cup races (44%), she had the fastest course time. This means she was the quickest on the skis, not counting time spent shooting or in penalty loops. She was also among the top three fastest skiers in 77% of her career races.
In her first World Cup races in the 2005–06 season, Neuner had average ski times. Her best was fourth fastest in a pursuit race. In her first full season (2006–07), she was among the top three fastest skiers in 19 of 24 races. She was the fastest in seven of them. Neuner won the 2007–08 World Cup with amazing skiing. She had the fastest course time in 19 of 25 races.
At the start of the 2008–09 season, Neuner's ski times dropped due to illnesses. However, she recovered and was the fastest in 14 of the remaining 18 races from January onwards. In the 2009–10 Olympic season, Neuner started slowly but finished among the top three fastest skiers in 17 of her 21 races. Her second best winter was in 2010–11, where she had the fastest or second fastest skiing time in 90% of her 21 races.
Neuner was a fast skier from a young age. When she was eight, she won her first cross-country skiing competition. At 15, she could ski as fast as her male training partners her age. Because she was so fast, she could often make up for one, two, or even three shooting errors. A penalty loop is 150 meters (164 yards) long and usually takes 21 to 26 seconds.
Shooting Performance

Neuner's overall shooting accuracy during her career was 78%. She hit 88% of her targets in the prone (lying down) position. However, her standing position accuracy was 67%. Her prone shooting was similar to other top athletes. The standing shoot was often her weaker point, but it improved a lot in her later seasons.
In her 2005–06 debut season, Neuner had good shooting results with 78% accuracy. This dropped to 74% in her first full season (2006–07). Neuner won the 2007–08 World Cup with 73% shooting accuracy. This was the lowest for an Overall World Cup winner. She steadily improved her shooting in the next two seasons, reaching her career best of 82% in the 2009–10 Olympic season. In the 2010–11 season, she achieved her highest standing position accuracy at 75%.
Neuner's shooting was often discussed in the German media. She sometimes found it hard to talk about it in interviews. She said the public's focus on her shooting made the problem worse. She believed her difficulties in the standing position were not about technique but about feeling pressure. She said her training results were as good as her teammates'. She explained that she developed a fear of standing shooting over time. She knew she would have to explain herself if she missed. Since 2009, she worked with a psychologist to build her confidence on the shooting range. Her standing position accuracy improved from 60% to 75% between 2008 and 2011. Neuner sometimes wore earplugs during races to help her focus while shooting. The individual race, which relies heavily on good shooting, was usually her weakest event.
Neuner won six races with perfect shooting, all of them sprints. Her worst shooting performance was in December 2008, with nine errors in a pursuit race. Her most costly shooting mistake happened in January 2009. She was leading a mass start race by a lot after 15 perfect shots. But in the final shooting, she missed all five targets, dropping to sixth place.
Personal Life
Neuner has lived in Wallgau, Bavaria, Germany, a small village, since she was born. She plays the harp and enjoys mountain biking, hiking, and swimming when she's not competing.
In December 2009, Neuner confirmed she was in a relationship with Josef Holzer, a friend from her school days in Wallgau. They were married in March 2014. They have a daughter, Verena Anna (born May 30, 2014), and a son, Josef Valentin (born November 8, 2016). Their church wedding took place on October 17, 2015.
In the Media
Biathlon is very popular in Germany. World Cup events are shown live on German television. The January World Cup races often attract over five million viewers. After winning three world championship titles in 2007, Neuner quickly became one of Germany's most popular female sports stars. She was often called "Gold Lena" by the media. Her popularity grew even more after her success at the 2010 Winter Olympics. Her second gold medal win was watched by 9.75 million TV viewers in Germany. Her decision not to participate in the Olympic relay was a big story in Germany. She later received the Fair Play medal for showing "team spirit."
Neuner won the Biathlon Award for Female Athlete of the Year in 2007 and 2008. She also received the Goldener Ski (Golden Ski), the highest award from the German Ski Association, in 2007, 2008, and 2010. Journalists from twelve countries named her Biathlete of the Year in the 2007–08 and 2009–10 seasons. She was chosen as Germany's 2007 Sportswoman of the Year. In 2010, she received the Silberne Lorbeerblatt (Silver Laurel Leaf), Germany's highest award for athletes. In 2011, readers of Germany's top newspaper voted Neuner the seventh greatest German sportsperson of all time. She was again named German Sportswoman of the Year. Nine months after she retired, Neuner received this award for a third time.
Neuner's interest in knitting has often been mentioned by the German media. She has a knitting website with instructions and a "knitting blog." She said knitting helps her relax during her travels. In 2010, Neuner appeared in an advertising campaign for a lingerie line. She said she did this to change her public image, as she was tired of being seen as "little sweet Lena." She was also an ambassador for the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup in Germany.
Records and Achievements
Olympic Games
Neuner won two gold medals and one silver medal at the Winter Olympic Games. In her only appearance at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada, she won gold in the pursuit and mass start events. She also won silver in the opening sprint. After winning three medals, she chose not to compete in the final relay race.
Event | Individual | Sprint | Pursuit | Mass start | Relay |
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2010 Winter Olympics, Vancouver | 10th | Silver | Gold | Gold | — |
World Championships
Neuner is the most successful female biathlete in the history of Biathlon World Championships. She has won seventeen medals: twelve gold, four silver, and one bronze. At her first World Championships in 2007 in Antholz, Italy, Neuner won three titles (sprint, pursuit, and relay). A year later, at the 2008 World Championships in Östersund, Sweden, she won three more gold medals (mass start, relay, and mixed relay).
Neuner did not win a title at the 2009 World Championships in Pyeongchang, South Korea. Her best result was a silver medal in the relay. She won her second mixed relay gold in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia, in 2010. At the 2011 World Championships, she won three more titles (sprint, mass start, relay) and two silver medals (pursuit and mixed relay). At her final championships in 2012, Neuner won her eleventh (sprint) and twelfth (relay) world titles. She also won her fourth silver (pursuit) and first bronze medal (mixed relay).
Event | Individual | Sprint | Pursuit | Mass start | Relay | Mixed relay |
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2007 Antholz, Italy | — | Gold | Gold | 14th | Gold | — |
2008 Östersund, Sweden | — | 17th | 6th | Gold | Gold | Gold |
2009 Pyeongchang, South Korea | — | 8th | 11th | 7th | Silver | — |
2010 Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia | Not held in an Olympic season | Gold | ||||
2011 Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia | 5th | Gold | Silver | Gold | Gold | Silver |
2012 Ruhpolding, Germany | 23rd | Gold | Silver | 10th | Gold | Bronze |
World Cup Performance
In her first World Cup season (2005–06), Neuner only competed in ten races and finished 34th overall. In the 2006–07 season, she became a regular in the German team and finished fourth overall. Neuner won the Biathlon World Cup for the first time in 2007–08. She also won the sprint and mass start categories that year. She finished the 2008–09 season in fourth place, winning the individual category.
In the 2009–10 season, Neuner won the overall World Cup for a second time. By also winning the pursuit and mass start categories, she had claimed every World Cup title at least once. In 2010–11, she won the sprint category for a second time and finished fifth overall. In her final World Cup season in 2011–12, Neuner won her third Overall World Cup title, as well as the sprint category.
Junior/Youth World Championships
Neuner won seven gold and four silver medals at the Biathlon Junior/Youth World Championships. She won a medal in every race she entered, except for the individual discipline. In 2004, at her first junior world championships in Haute Maurienne, France, Neuner won two titles (sprint and relay). A year later, she won gold in the sprint race in Kontiolahti, Finland. In 2006, she won two more titles (pursuit and relay) in Presque Isle, Maine, United States. Neuner did not compete in the 2007 event. She returned to the junior world championships in 2008 in Ruhpolding, Germany, winning two more gold medals (sprint and pursuit).
Event | Individual | Sprint | Pursuit | Relay |
---|---|---|---|---|
2004 Haute Maurienne, France | — | Gold | Silver | Gold |
2005 Kontiolahti, Finland | 4th | Gold | Silver | Silver |
2006 Presque Isle, United States | 7th | Silver | Gold | Gold |
2008 Ruhpolding, Germany | — | Gold | Gold | — |
Awards and Honours
International Titles
- Winter Olympic Games – 2 gold medals
- 2010: Pursuit, Mass start
- Overall Biathlon World Cup winner – 2007–08, 2009–10, 2011–2012
- Individual World Cup winner – 2008–09
- Sprint World Cup winner – 2007–08, 2010–11, 2011–2012
- Pursuit World Cup winner – 2009–10
- Mass start World Cup winner – 2007–08, 2009–10
- Biathlon World Championships – 12 gold medals
- 2007: Sprint, Pursuit, Relay
- 2008: Mass start, Relay, Mixed relay
- 2010: Mixed Relay
- 2011: Sprint, Mass start, Relay
- 2012: Sprint, Relay
- Biathlon Junior/Youth World Championships – 7 gold medals
Awards
- German Sportswoman of the Year – 2007, 2011, 2012
- Biathlon Award for Female Newcomer of the Year – 2007
- Biathlon Award for Female Athlete of the Year – 2007, 2008
- Goldener Ski of the DSV – 2007, 2008, 2010
- Biathlete of the Year of the Forum Nordicum – 2008, 2010
- Silbernes Lorbeerblatt – 2010
See also
In Spanish: Magdalena Neuner para niños