Success Story of Marcus Bolin Webb

Marcus Bolin Webb is an Athlete

A short introduction to yourself?

I’m a 27 year old British biathlete racing in International Biathlon Union (IBU) Cups. I am half English and half Norwegian and lived in many countries around Europe when I was younger. I joined the British Army in 2018 and I am incredibly lucky to be able to train full time in Norway this off-season.

How did you develop your fondness for your sport and at what age did you start learning?

I first started in biathlon in 2019 through the British Army when I was 24. I love the challenge of racing around a hilly and technical course with the added difficulty of target shooting. The two sports don’t naturally go together and that’s what I find fascinating about biathlon.

Are you a member of any sports team? if not have you ever been?

In March this year, I was selected to join Team Blåne in Lillehammer, Norway. This fantastic team provides monthly training camps, 3-4 sessions per week and a very high level of coaching. As I started the sport so late I have a lot of catching up to do and I’m learning all the basics through my coaches here.

Describe your major highlights and achievements in sports in the past.

My major highlight is probably how quickly I’ve progressed in the 3 years. I was selected for the Great British Development Squad after 4 months in the sport. 18 months later I was wearing the Union Jack on my back and racing on the international circuit.

Do you take sports as a profession or is it just a hobby?

It’s a profession – biathlon is a factor in 95% of my day to day decisions. I have to find a balance with training, family and friends and it’s not always an easy balance to get right. Life creates situations where I can’t complete the training programme like it was planned and it needs to be adjusted. This is where it’s important to accept that the programme is ‘written in pencil’, adjust the plan and not to create the detrimental stress because of it.

What challenges have you faced in getting to where you are now? You can also share any injury story.

Obviously COVID-19 was a big one. I started the sport 5 months before the pandemic spread so it’s been a factor in the majority of my journey. Luckily I’ve not had any major injuries though. I’ve overtrained a couple times where I’ve had to take a week or so off training but they are also learning points about how my body handles training load. It allows me to become a better athlete. Training in the UK for the first two off-seasons meant that we didn’t have access to a biathlon range and roller-ski track. We did very well with what was available thanks to the British Biathlon Union. I now live 200m from the Lillehammer biathlon stadium which is allowing me to train with ease!

What motivates you most about your profession?

It’s the progression. I’ve come a long way very quickly in 3 years and I can’t wait to see where I’ll be in 12-24 months. The travel is incredible and the people I meet are great! I also really enjoy learning about the scientific side of sport and training. When I have my long and easy sessions I put a podcast on so that I can learn and train at the same time. My favorite podcasts at the moment are from The Physical Performance Show and especially any involving Dr Stephen Seiler – I’m learning a lot from him.

Do you think everybody should practice sports or do you want everyone to learn?

Do sports that make you happy at the level and intensity that you want to! I’d love for biathlon and cross-country skiing to become bigger in the UK. There’s quite a few clubs around the country that run sessions to help people get into the sport!

What tournament or match you have won are you most proud of and why?

Ha! I haven’t won any major races yet as I’ve only been doing biathlon for just under 3 years. However I’m excited to see how the next couple years go, you never know! One step at a time.

Are there any short-term goals you’d like to accomplish in the next few months to a couple of years?

My main goal is simple: qualify for one of the wildcards at the 2026 Winter Olympics. The last British male biathlete qualified for the Winter Olympics in 2014. I want to prove that it’s still possible for athletes from a no-snow country to be competitive at the international level in biathlon. My goals for the 2022/23 season is to qualify for the World Championships and to maintain my trajectory for the Olympic wildcard qualification.

Your Email: mcbwebb@gmail.com

Your Social Media: https://instagram.com/marcusbolinwebb?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

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