Kati Wilhelm

Katarina ("Kati") Wilhelm (born August 2, 1976) is a German professional biathlete. Like most German biathletes she is also a member of the German Armed Forces ("Bundeswehr") with the rank of sergeant ("Hauptfeldwebel"). She currently resides in Steinbach-Hallenberg, also in the Federal State of Thuringia.

Kati Wilhelm was born in Schmalkalden, in the Federal State of Thuringia, Germany. She started training cross-country skiing as a child in 1983 and was a member of the German cross-country ski team at the 1998 Nagano Olympic Games. In 1999, while attending the Military World Games, she came into contact with biathlon and was hooked on the sport. Her decision to switch to biathlon proved to be a good one. The next year she experienced her first successes including a World Cup victory. During the Salt Lake City Olympic Games in 2002, she was the most decorated female biathlete, winning gold medals in the 7.5 km sprint and the 4 X 6 km relay. She also won a silver medal in the 10 km pursuit. After two years of struggling, she finally moved to Ruhpolding, Bavaria in 2004. She regained her strength and placed second in the 2004-05 World Cup season, defeated only by Frenchwoman Sandrine Bailly. At the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, she carried the German flag at the opening ceremony. After winning her third Olympic gold medal in the 10 km pursuit as well as silver in the mass start and with the German relay, she became the best female biathlete at the Olympics ever. Moreover, she dominated the 2005-06 World Cup season, winning six races and the overall World Cup trophy. She was elected "biathlete of the year 2006" as well as "German sportswoman of the year 2006". In total she has 16 IBU Biathlon World Cup wins.

In the 2006-07 World Cup season, she finished second for the overall World Cup title behind teammate Andrea Henkel.

The German media gave her the nickname "Rotkäppchen" (Little Red Riding Hood) because of her characteristic red hair and the red cap she uses in competition. She was able to translate her Olympic victories into multiple endorsement deals, including print and television advertising.

Biathlon achievements

* Winter Olympics
** 2002 2x Gold (Sprint, Relay), 1x Silver (Pursuit)
** 2006 1x Gold (Pursuit), 2x Silver (Mass Start, Relay)

* Biathlon World Championships
** 2001 1x Gold (Sprint), 1x Silver (Relay)
** 2003 1x Bronze (Relay)
** 2004 1x Bronze (Relay)
** 2005 1x Silver (Relay), 1x Bronze (Mixed Relay)
** 2007 1x Gold (Relay), 1x Bronze (Mass Start)

* Biathlon World Cup
** 1x overall winner (2005-06)
** 2x overall runner-up (2004-05, 2006-07)
** 16 individual victories

Cross-country skiing achievements

* Winter Olympics best finish
** 1998: 7th in 4 x 5 km relay, 16th in 30 km

* FIS Nordic World Ski Championships
** 1997: 24th in 15 km, 51st in 30 km
** 1999: 21st in 15 km

* World Cup
** Best finish: 13th in 10 km at Russia: 1998

* Lone career victory
** 5 km FIS Race at Austria: 1996

ee also

* Germany at the 2006 Winter Olympics

External links

*FIS|S=CC|ID=66276
* [http://www.biathlonworld.com IBU official website]
* [http://www.kati-wilhelm.de Official website] de icon
* [http://torino2006.coni.it/index.php?id=Staffetta%204x5%20km%20don Women's 4 x 5 km cross-country relay Olympic results: 1976-2002] it icon