Botn, the overall IBU Cup leader with no one even close to matching his speed at the second-best championship, was a total disaster in his World Cup debut in Oberhof.
Oberhof is not suitable for an athlete who runs fast but shoots poorly, and the universal attention at the World Cup for a beginner is not at all comparable to the quiet and cozy atmosphere at the IBU Cup. In addition to all this, the Norwegian coaches have set a target for the young athlete - two podium finishes in two races, if he wants to remain in the main team. An almost impossible mission that almost immediately pulled the ground out from under the feet of the young talent.
«I felt a lot of pressure because I knew I had to get two podiums to stay in the World Cup.
Also, I was completely unprepared for all the attention I was getting from the media, it was something completely different from my normal life. It was too much to deal with.
I believe that my case is very similar to the case that happened last year with Endre Strömsheim. We talked about this in Oberhof because we lived in the same room. We discussed what I should do this season and next. It was interesting.»
