Life is smiling for Karoline Knotten at the moment. Perhaps not so strange after a solid start to the season, but there are not only sporting reasons why the grin is extra loose. “Why are you so happy? Why are you walking around grinning like that?” others in the biathlon community have asked her about it recently. The reason is Philipp Nawrath, one of the world’s best biathletes and Knotten’s new boyfriend. – He is a very good fellow. We enjoy ourselves, she smiles. Karoline Knotten has had a great start to the season. Part of the blame for that may lie with love. – We have not hidden that The pair were observed together during the World Cup opening in Östersund and the rumor mill began to spin. On Thursday, news asked Nawrath if he had found a Norwegian girlfriend. – No comment, he said while blushing under the mask. “I hadn’t spoken to you, so I didn’t know what to say”, recounts Knotten about the conversation between them afterwards. NORWEGIAN STAR: Karoline Knotten. Photo: Reuters She has no problems talking about her new flame, and says that they have never tried to hide anything. – We haven’t hidden it, we just haven’t marketed it in a way. I got kisses and hugs in the finish area. So those who wanted to take it with them, took it with them, she says of the episode in Östersund. Nawrath has one win and three podiums this season, while Knotten has a second place and several top positions. They are both top five in the World Cup overall. The two got talking during a party in Holmenkollen, and exchanged glances over the next year. When it was ready again for the closing party at the top of Oslo, there was more talk and since then they have kept it going. The women biathletes have been knitting for several generations when they are resting. Now news has challenged them to see who actually masters knitting the best. Dueling against each other Knotten believes there are several advantages to having a biathlon boyfriend. They both aim for the top and make tough choices on the way there. – I think it’s great and wonderful to have someone who understands. We are quite similar. He understands my choices and I understand his choices. Then it’s fine that we don’t meet, because we are focused and professional at what we do, she says. For natural reasons, they never go directly against each other. But as two competitive people, an internal couple duel nevertheless develops. – When I did well, he said it was a bit scary for him. So then he won the next day just to surpass my second place. It was fun when both were in yellow and we could have it a bit to ourselves, says Knotten and says that she has been very well received on the German team. Accused of being a traitor So far it has gone that she is accused of not cheering for Norway in duels against Germany. During the relay in Östersund, Nawrath and Tarjei Bø entered the stand at the same time, and the Norwegian women followed along excitedly. – Philipp pulled away half a second before Tarjei and I said “yes”. “You traitor,” said the others. “Hey, I’m rooting for Tarjei!” “No, you cheer for Germany, you!” “No, I was rooting for Philipp and the Norwegians,” Knotten recounts from the conversation with her teammates, when they believed they had revealed her new feelings for Nawrath’s homeland. The men’s hunting start in Hochfilzen on Saturday starts at 12.15. The women will be in action at 14.45. Both races represented by one athlete from the sport’s new super pair.
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– Got a kiss and a hug in the goal area – news Sport – Sports news, results and broadcasting schedule
