Franziska Preuß is a German biathlete. Franziska Preuss was born in Wasserburg am Inn, Germany. She is an invaluable member of the German national team since 23 January 2014. Preuss showed her talent at the 2012 Winter Youth Olympics held in Innsbruck. She claimed medals in all disciplines with a total of 3 gold in the sprint, pursuit, relay and mixed relay and one silver in the pursuit.
In the year, 2013 during the Junior World Championships once again Preuss demonstrated her potential. She won 3 medals – one gold with the relay team and 2 bronze in the Individual and pursuit. The European Championships in Bansko were another event from which Franziska claimed 2 medals – one gold in the relay and one silver in the pursuit.
The 2014-2015 seasons were a tremendous success for the young biathlete. She had good results and twice 2nd places in Ruhpolding and at the World Championships in Kontiolahti, Franziska Preuss proudly took the small crystal globe for the most prestigious biathlon discipline – the mass start. She made 3rd place in another very dynamic race – the 10 km pursuit in Khanty-Mansyisk that season. As for her performance at the World Championships in Kontiolahti, Preuss claimed 2 medals – a gold in the relay and the silver in the mass start.
During the 2015-2016 season Preuss was very consistent. She finished twice at number 5 in the pursuits in Pokljuka and Khanty-Mansyisk. Also 3 times 6th in the sprints in Khanty-Mansyisk and Canmore, and in the pursuit during the World Championships in Holmenkollen. Franziska Preuss won 2 medals at the World Championships in Holmenkollen in 2016 – one silver in the relay and one bronze in the mixed relay.
Medal Record
World Championships
| Gold medal – first place | 2015 Kontiolahti | 4 x 6 km relay |
| Silver medal – second place | 2015 Kontiolahti | 12.5 km mass start |
| Silver medal – second place | 2016 Oslo | Mixed relay |
| Silver medal – second place | 2020 Antholz | 4 x 6 km relay |
| Silver medal – second place | 2020 Antholz | Single mixed relay |
| Bronze medal – third place | 2016 Oslo | 4 × 6 km relay |
European Championships
| Gold medal – first place | 2013 Bansko | Relay |
| Silver medal – second place | 2013 Bansko | Pursuit |
Winter Youth Olympics
| Gold medal – first place | 2012 Innsbruck | Sprint |
| Gold medal – first place | 2012 Innsbruck | Mixed Relay |
| Gold medal – first place | 2012 Innsbruck | Biathlon/Cross-Country Relay |
| Silver medal – second place | 2012 Innsbruck | Pursuit |
Biathlon Junior World Championships
| Gold medal – first place | 2013 Obertilliach | Relay |
| Bronze medal – third place | 2013 Obertilliach | Pursuit |
| Bronze medal – third place | 2013 Obertilliach | Individual |
Women Fitness President Ms. Namita Nayyar did a candid interview with Franziska Preuß, a German biathlete World Champion 1X Gold, 4X Silver and 1X Bronze Medalist where she talks about her workout, diet, hair & skin care, and her success story.
Namita Nayyar:
You started your first world cup races in the 2013-14-season after winning two medals at the European Championships, three medals at the Junior World Championships, and three gold medals at the 2012 Winter Youth Olympics. Walk us through your spectacular journey and share what appeals to you the most about the sport? Also, when did it strike that you wanted to take up this sport as a career option?
Franziska Preuß:
I was a big fan from Biathlon and from all the German athletes when I was a child. I got a voucher for the Biathlon camp Fritz Fischer (Biathlon for everyone)“ from my parents to my 15th birthday to try biathlon and I loved it! It made so much fun to me. Than I started Biathlon when I was 16 years old.
My parents’ house is approximately 1 hour by car away from Ruhpolding. So it was not so easy to combine the sport and the school. The school was also very important for me and also for my parents of course. So the compromise was, when I’ am able to manage the school, my parents will drive me 3 times a week for
Training to Ruhpolding. It was a intensive time for me to do both well. But the sport made a lot of fun, especially to see the improvement I achieved. Every training I got more hits and I run a little bit faster and so this special feeling to combine these two fascinating disciplines never left me and I always wanted to be as good as possible. When I was in my final school year, this feeling was still so dominating, that I decided to continue with Biathlon as a pro athlete. This decision I never repented and I’m so happy and thankful that I can do the sport I love every day!
Full Interview is Continued on Next Page
This interview is exclusive and taken by Namita Nayyar President womenfitness.net and should not be reproduced, copied or hosted in part or full anywhere without an express permission.
All Written Content Copyright © 2020 Women Fitness
Namita Nayyar:
Biathlon requires a lot of strength, stamina, and strategy. Give us 5 tips that are absolutely necessary to follow to excel in this sport and handle stress?
Franziska Preuß:
First of all I think that of course a lot of biathlon training is necessary during the whole year. No matter of good or bad weather. You also need a lot of discipline and ambition. It makes it all a bit easier, if you have an aim you want to reach and this desire must be your motivation the whole summer. Sometimes it’s also important to be tough, especially in hard times, then it’s easier to handle the stress and the next race will offer a new chance.
Namita Nayyar:
Introduce us to a day in your life. One thing you begin your day with.
Franziska Preuß:
A normal training day in summer starts at 7 a.m. for me. I get up and I have breakfast! Breakfast is my favorite meal. We start with our first training session at 8.30 a.m. at the biathlon stadium in Ruhpolding. First we do the zeroing of our rifles and then the trainer introduce us our training. Mostly it is endurance training; it takes from zeroing to unstrap our roller skis about +/- 3h. Sometimes I have Physio directly after the training. Then I go home for lunch and after eating I take a little nap to get some energy for the 2nd session. I start the supplementary training, like jogging, ride a bike or strength training at 4 p.m. I’m back at around 6 p.m. My boyfriend is also an athlete, so he is back from training, too. We prepare the dinner together. In the evening I do a little stretching or I clean my rifle and make “dry shooting”. And then I really enjoy lying on the couch and doing nothing 🙂
Namita Nayyar:
Five exercises that essentially comprise your workout routine that you may like to share, both strength & flexibility? The therapy you undertake to prevent injury or overcome it?
Franziska Preuß:
Our main training aids are roller skis. We train a lot with them; it’s the best training for biathlon, because they are really similar to cross-country skis. And the best thing of our sport is that you can train so many different things during summer. So the training routine is never boring. We can go roller skiing (approx. 4-5 times a week) additionally we can go jogging, riding a bike, make strength training, and hiking. Since this April I am in Munich one time a week to see a athletic trainer, he shows me a lot of exercises that my whole body is much more stronger and I hope that injuries will never get me again.
Namita Nayyar:
The diet that you follow to remain healthy and physically fit? Three foods you love to binge on.
Franziska Preuß:
We don’t have a special diet. I think every professional athlete eats very healthy. I have also a good body feeling, so I hear the signs of my body, when something is missing. Anyway we have so many requirements the whole day that I’m happy that eating is still just eating 🙂 And I love Asian food, cheese and good beef. My parents have an organic farm, so the beef from my mom’s cattle is very delicious! Unfortunately some years ago my stomach started to make problems, when I ate something with gluten. So I have to avoid gluten… this is sometimes very hard, because I can’t eat a Bavarian ‚Brezn without stomach ache.
Namita Nayyar:
Having to train constantly in extreme weather conditions, how do you take care of your skin and hair?
Franziska Preuß:
I think I don’t take care with something special. During the winter with the often cold and wet weather conditions we have to take more cream for our skin to protect it properly.
Namita Nayyar:
Who has been your greatest influence and motivator in your success in the field of your career? Quote, you live by.
Franziska Preuß:
Hmmm difficult question. I think Fritz Fischer was an important part of my career. He is an Olympic Champion in Biathlon and without him I think Biathlon won’t be my life as it is now. He inspires me a lot, because he loves this sport and he never overlooks a detail! He supports me also a lot, I can always ask for his opinion or if I need help! During my career I met a lot of interesting people who inspired me and from whom I could learn a lot.
Namita Nayyar:
In the current pandemic situation, how are you training while staying at home? Physically as well as mentally.
Franziska Preuß:
We started with training at the beginning of May for the new season. Of course the corona-virus is still present and the stadium, where we train has introduced certain corona measures. We are allowed to train in groups of 5 people and we have to keep the distance every time. This is easily doable, because we do an individual outdoor sport and we can train very good by ourselves, its a big advantage in comparison to football, for example. So in training I feel save and I do my best to stay healthy!
Namita Nayyar:
Five years from now where do you visualize yourself?
Franziska Preuß:
A good question 🙂 Honestly I have to say that I don’t know. I’m totally focused on what I’m doing now. Biathlon.
Namita Nayyar:
Share a few words about the website Womenfitness.net and message for our visitors?
Franziska Preuß:
I love to read interviews of different athletes. Every biography is so special and you can learn from each story! On womenfitness.net you have so many different strong women and so many interviews inspire me a lot!
Franziska Preuß social media presence
- Instagram@franzi110394
- Twitter@preussfranziska
This interview is exclusive and taken by Namita Nayyar President womenfitness.net and should not be reproduced, copied or hosted in part or full anywhere without an express permission.
All Written Content Copyright © 2020 Women Fitness