Kimmich and Bø take on biathlon challenge in Antholz

Joshua Kimmich stepped into unfamiliar territory on Sunday, seeking out a new sporting challenge during a visit to Antholz. The captain of the German national football team swapped the football pitch for the biathlon range, taking up a laser rifle to face none other than recently retired biathlon superstar Johannes Thingnes Bø.

Standing side by side with the record world champion at a specially prepared shooting range, Kimmich embraced the opportunity to test his accuracy against one of the sport’s all-time greats. Bø, who brought his illustrious career to a close last year, accepted the challenge with a smile. “I’ll give you a head start,” he joked in a video shared on social media.

The competitive Bayern Munich midfielder, however, was having none of it. True to the motto “if you’re going to do it, do it properly”, Kimmich insisted on an even contest.

What followed impressed even the biathlon star himself. Kimmich missed just one target – the same number as Bø – and did so at a shooting pace only marginally slower than the Norwegian icon.

The Bayern professional appeared to have “what it takes to succeed” in biathlon as well. Bø swiftly reshared the post with his followers, highlighting a memorable crossover moment between football and biathlon in the heart of South Tyrol.