Missed the Olympics, the Ukraine war and a wedding
Biathlon star Aita Gasparin has had an eventful year
Aita Gasparin has made a very promising start to the biathlon winter – and can also hope for a top result at the World Championships. In view of the last twelve months, this is not a matter of course.
Published: 17 minutes ago
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Aita Gasparin and Sergey Semenov had to wait for their wedding.
Marco Pescioreporter sports
How much can come together in a year? Twelve months ago, the Swiss biathlete Aita Gasparin (28) missed the Winter Olympics in Beijing because she was not doing at all athletically. It would have been her third games, but the woman from Graubünden has to go through – and watch.
As soon as the competitions in China are over and the first frustration has been digested, the next hammer follows. War in Ukraine breaks out. A shock for Gasparin and her fiancé Sergey Semenov (34), who also started as a biathlete for Ukraine until 2021 – and whose family in Chernihiv is suddenly in danger.
Semenov’s hometown is bombed, his mother has to do without electricity and running water for a long time. The wedding planned for spring in Switzerland will be postponed, but the priorities are now elsewhere.
“A brutally emotional moment”
After difficult months, Gasparin and those around her finally saw a turning point in the summer. The Ukrainian part of the family is doing well given the circumstances, she is safe. The postponed wedding is replanned and fixed – and finally takes place on September 23 in Uitikon ZH. With Semenov’s closest family, who can finally travel from Ukraine. A reunion after ten long months.
Gasparin says: “It was a brutally emotional moment when I ran up to Sergey with my dad in my arms and saw his family in the benches in the front right. At that moment, many guests had tears in their eyes.”
“The wedding inspired me a little.”Biathlete Aita Gasparin
This is the beginning of the beautiful phase of her eventful year. Because a little later Gasparin starts a season better than ever, delivers five top 15 results directly and thus easily and quickly creates the World Cup limits.
“Sure, the wedding inspired me a little,” she says with a laugh. The hard units in the preparation regarding strength, running and also in the mental area are finally paying off. “I’m proud of that,” she says, but also refers to the important weeks to come.
In February (6th to 19th) the World Championships are coming up in Oberhof. And that’s where Aita Gasparin has the opportunity to end the year with good results after the disappointment at the Olympics.