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Magdalena Neuner – the one who ruins stereotypes Konkina Alexandra RIMO-203

Magdalena Neuner

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Page 1: Magdalena Neuner

Magdalena Neuner – the one who ruins

stereotypes

Konkina AlexandraRIMO-203

Page 2: Magdalena Neuner

Biography

Magdalena Neuner (born 9 February 1987) is a German professional biathlete. She is the most successful woman of all time at Biathlon World Championships and a two-time Olympic gold medalist. At the age of 21, she became the youngest Overall World Cup winner in the history of the International Biathlon Union . She has won the Overall World Cup title three times. Neuner retired from the sport in March 2012, citing a lack of motivation and her desire for a normal life.

Neuner started biathlon when she was nine years old and won five junior world championship titles. She made her World Cup debut in 2006 and won her first World Cup race in January 2007. In the 2007–08 season Neuner won the Overall World Cup and World Championships. After she participated in her first Winter Olympic Games in 2010, winning the gold medal in both the pursuit and the mass start, and silver in the sprint race.

During her seven World Cup seasons, Neuner won 34 World Cup races and achieved 63 podium finishes. During six appearances at Biathlon World Championships, Neuner claimed 17 medals: twelve gold, four silver and one bronze.

Neuner has lived in the Bavarian village of Wallgau since birth. Since winning three world championship gold medals in 2007, Neuner is one of her home country's most popular female athletes. She was named German Sportswoman of the Year in 2007 and 2011.

Page 3: Magdalena Neuner

Stereotype 1: If you were born in a small town you won’t be able to

achieve anything.Reality: Magdalena Neuner grew up in the small Bavarian village of Wallgau,

which population is only 1000 people. Here she tried various other winter sports. At the age of 16, Neuner finished high school and decided to pursue a career in biathlon. Her parents were reluctant, but they eventually supported her ambition to become a professional biathlete. Now Magdalena Neuner is one of the most famous biathlonist in the world.

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Stereotype 2: If you don’t have rich parents, you have no chance to

become a professional athlete.Reality: Magdalena Neuner’s father was a clerk in a very small bank in Wallgau

and her mother didn’t work at all, because she was very busy bringing up her children. Their month income was less, than the money Magdalena receives today for a victory in a lap of the World Cup. Nevertheless Magdalena managed to pursue her dream and succeeded to make a breathtaking, meteoric career in biathlon.

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Stereotype 3: If don’t take performance-enhancing drugs, you won’t be

able to become a champion. Reality: Magdalena Neuner has never been caught on taking performance-

enhancing drugs (what unfortunately can’t be said about our national team). Nevertheless Neuner was one of the fastest female cross-country skiers in biathlon. During 66 of her 151 World Cup races (44%), she has set the fastest course time. Also Neuner averaged a career shooting accuracy of 78%. The secret of her success is in daily trainings. All the year round she is working extremely hard, that’s why she has become one of the best biathletes.

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Reality: Magdalena Neuner refutes this stereotype completely. Of course, tastes differ, however no one would argue that petite, graceful and blond woman looks beautiful. When you once see her shining eyes and bewitching smile, you will become a biathlon fan just to watch her as often as possible. And not only we, normal viewers, but also commentators, other biathletes make mentions about her beauty.

Stereotype 4: If the girl is from Germany, she can’t be pretty.

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Stereotype 5: If you have already won some competitions, sooner or later

the luck will leave youReality: A lot can be said about her successes, but it will take a lot of time to talk about all

her awards, so I suggest you to look at the table.

Event Sprint Pursuit Mass Start Relay Mixed Relay

2010 Winter Olympics, Vancouver

Silver Gold Gold - -

World championship

2007

Gold Gold 14th Gold -

World championship

2008

17th 6th Gold Gold Gold

World championship

2009

8th 11th 7th Silver -

World championship

2010

Not held in an Olympic season Gold

World championship

2011

Gold Silver Gold Gold Silver

World championship

2012

Gold Silver 10th Gold Bronze

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Stereotype 6: If you are an athlete, you are a loser in all spheres except

sport.

Reality: As you have probably understood, Magdalena Neuner is an outstanding biathlete. But she is not narrow-minded at all. Besides biathlon has she success in many other spheres gained. For example she is starring in the

German series “Sturm der Liebe”. Also she is playing harp, singing and riding a horse. So she is a really many-sided person, isn’t she?

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Stereotype 6: If you like knitting, you should be a either a “babushka”

or a really dull person.

Reality: Magdalena’s main hobby is knitting. She has wrote a book on this theme, appeared in several TV shows she also was chose as a face of one of knitting brand. And because of her bright personality kitting is getting more and more popular in Germany and outside the country. A lot of world-famous biathletes prefer to wear caps which were knitted by Magdalena. And nobody

doesn’t even think about referring Neuner to “babushkas” or dull persons.

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Stereotype 7: If in your life everything is OK, you don’t care about

people who need help and support. Reality: Magdalena devotes a lot of her time to charity, however she doesn’t

want anybody to know about it. A lot of famous people do charity work in order to gain fame, but this cannot be said about Magdalena. Very seldom managed

journalists to imprint Magdalena doing charity, but this doesn’t belittle her services, on the opposite side it makes her work more valuable and important.

Magdalena took part in the reconstruction of children’s hospital “Irmengardhof” in the village Mittern.

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Reality: Magdalena doesn’t have a starring boyfriend. But the fact is, that she does have one. With her

extremely busy schedule she finds time for him, she loves and she is

loved. Her boyfriend is Josef Holzer, a school day friend from Wallgau. They have been avoiding publicity

for a very long time and only in 2011 they appeared together in the ceremony of German Sportswoman

of the Year.

Stereotype 8: If you devote all your time to sport, you don’t have any

time for your private life.

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Stereotype 9: If you are an athlete, you don’t have to have any serious

profession.Reality: Magdalena After finishing school, Neune joined the German Customs

Administration in August 2003. She officially holds the rank of Erste Zollhauptwachtmeisterin (first head customs officer), although she is a full time professional athlete. When not competing, Neuner works as a German Customs

Officer.

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Stereotype 9 (about biathlon itself): If you are good at shooting, you are bad at skiing, and vice

versa.Reality: Neuner was one of the fastest female cross-country skiers in biathlon. During

66 of her 151 World Cup races (44%), she has set the fastest course time (race time without time spent at the shooting range or in the penalty loop). In addition, she has

been among the top three fastest skiers in 77% of her career races. Neuner averaged a career shooting accuracy of 78%. Her career average in the prone position was

88%, while her career average in the standing position was 67%. Her shooting results in the prone position were similar to other top contenders. The standing shoot had

long been her weak point and her hit percentage was well below average in the World Cup field, although it had improved considerably in her later seasons.

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Stereotype 10: If you achieve the summit of fame, you forget about your

origins.Reality: As it have been said a lot of times before, Magdalena took practically

all podiums in the biathlon races. But she has never forgotten about her origins. n 2007, she bought her grandmother's house in Wallgau, where she now lives. Every year she takes part in annual traditional Bavarian festival in Wallgau, supports other cultural events and in tote makes a lot of things to

preserve national culture.

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Stereotype 11: Athletes are not interested in politics at all.

Reality: Magdalena Neuner doesn’t belong to such persons. She understands that she has a big authority in the society, and she is trying to use her authority to public wellbeing of her own town and region. In 2011 she had a meeting with

Angela Merkel.

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Stereotype 12: Women can’t be football fans.

Reality: Magdalena Neuner has said a lot of times that she is a big football fan. In the previous year she brought the cup in the final of German Football Cup in Berlin. With a shining dress and a sophisticated appearance gave her image for the final in the Football Federation. That makes her a world image of sports. But especially she likes woman football. “I’m looking forward to the next FIFA Women’s World Cup”, - said Magdalena in one of the interviews.

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Conclusion

I hope, that my presentation has helped you to understand that sometimes stereotypes are no more than empty words. And luckily, there are such people as Magdalena Neuner, who ruin all

the stereotypes.

Thank you for your attention!