In an effort to showcase the North Americans competing at this week’s International Biathlon Union (IBU) 2018 Youth and Junior World Championships in Otepää, Estonia, we asked those qualifying athletes several questions about themselves — actually, we had them fill in the blanks. Here we have 19-year-old Adam Runnalls of Calgary, who is representing Canada at his first World Junior Championships after twice being part of the team for the Youth division.
On Tuesday, Runnalls anchored the Canadian team to 17th in the junior men’s 4 x 7.5 k relay.
***
“My full name is Adam Runnalls but you can call me boring old Adam.
I was born and raised in Calgary, and I learned to ski at 1 years old.
I spent the time between World Youth/Junior trials and Worlds training hard and going to school.
The hardest workout this season would be our road bike on Highwood Pass. I did it on a rental bike as it was my first road ride ever. Once the day was done, we did 110 km of riding and like 2000 meters of climbing. so being my first road ride ever it was pretty pouched about half way through. And I did this workout with my club, Calgary Biathlon Racers (CBR).
One thing I’m working on this season to improve my biathlon is my shooting consistency.
This is my first time in Estonia and 5th time racing internationally, and so far it’s been pretty all time.
One difference I’ve noticed between Estonia and the Canada is things are very quiet here. We almost drove across the entire country to get from the airport to Otepaa, which was only a 2 and a half hour drive. In Canada a drive this long might not even get you to the next town.
One of the things I’m most excited about for World Youth/Junior Championships in Otepää is getting into the racing.
One race I’m especially targeting there is a top 16 result.
Watching the Olympics in the lead up to my own races was very inspiring and gave me a great sense of national pride (Ferda). One of my least favorite moments moments of the Games was when Canada lost women’s hockey and then the next day lost men’s curling and men’s hockey. I want to be like Scott Moir, because he exemplifies what a Canadian is.
At Worlds, I really hope I can chat/make friends with someone from Sweden and ask them how can they turn 20 year olds into Olympic medalists??
My favorite thing at the breakfast where we are staying is the mini wieners. Who doesn’t like a hot dog for breakfast?.
Before this trip, if you said “Estonia”, the first thing I’d think of would have been potatoes and a skiing culture.
Now that I’m here, I’m pretty sure something I’ll always remember will be how the doors all open the opposite way I think they should.
If I had a totally free day here and didn’t have to worry about race fitness or training, I’d spend it probably still skiing.
The best way to follow me on social media is on Instagram @adam.runnalls and and Facebook www.facebook.com/AdamRunnallsathelete/.”
