Bio 71-92

Sven was born 16.04.1971 in Schmalkalden in Thuringia where he started school in 1977. Through his teacher in physical training at school he met the trainingleader of the athletecentre in Schmalkalden where his talents were discovered. From third grade he trained three times a week with Lothar Scheuermann and Fritz Günzel in "BSG Werkzeugkombinat" sports club emphasising middle distance running. In the fifth grade Sven became district champion of his age and in 1982 he participated in GDR championship in crossrun. But by the turn of the year 1982 / 83 he changed from athletics to wintersport. At "BSG Stahl" sports club in Seligenthal he was taught cross country skiing from Stefan Luck (one of Frank Luck's uncles). He did so well in

this, that he was recommended for children- and youth sportschool (Kinder–und Jugendsportschule - KJS) in Oberhof in spring the same year. In September 1983 he was actually accepted by the KJS in the seventh grade. Not in cross country skiing, though, but in biathlon. Because of the boardingschool`s special timetable it was possible to combine training sport and traditional school here. To reconcile both parts of the education you had your final exam after 13 years, not 12 as was common in the GDR. After his exam in 1989 Sven joined the NVA (the GDR's army) where he – for a period – studied for sportsteacher. Because of the German reunion and the unity of their two armies it was no longer possible for Sven to continue his studies.

The time of the reunification of the two German states was for medical reasons a difficult time for Sven. Indeed he had his best results in 1989 when he won the GDR junior championship. But the same year his knees troubled him deeply. In August 1989 he was diagnosed – after an arthroscopia – a serious cartilage injury in both knees. This had developed because of too much strain on the knees during growth. When he'd gone through an operation in September 1989 Sven feared his carreer as a biathlete was in danger. He had to rest for a year. The only sport he was allowed to do at the time was swimming. He recovered and could start training again when a year had passed.

He was also full-grown now. To start training again at this point was hard. The German reunion obviously led to a unity of the two German teams. There was an extremely close competition to be a part of the German national biathlonteam. For Sven it was very hard because he didn`t have any previous results to show. Thanks to the German teamleader, Frank Ullrich, Sven got the chance to prove his skills. Ullrich managed to make Sven a reserve in DSV's (German Ski Federation) top C group, and already in December Sven celebrated his first European - cup victory in sprint in Hochfilzen. One week later he participated in his first world cup relay ever. He was rewarded B–status and because of success in the German Championship in 1992 he qualified for the world cup in Pukliuka in December 1992. He ended as number 38 in 20 km whereas he ended fifth in his first sprint world cup ever.The step to the top – the A – team – was definitely taken.