Moric Explains Her Croatia Switch
- Iva Moric, 22, left Germany's biathlon programme for Croatia after a Covid infection, her mother's cancer diagnosis, and what she describes as years of decision-making to please
- Speaking to the IBU, Moric said she now organises all her own training and camps independently, describing herself as a natural "individual fighter".
- Moric made her World Cup debut for Croatia in January in Ruhpolding — her hometown — where she said she was warmly received by German fans despite the nationality switch.
Iva Moric, the 22-year-old biathlete who won three medals at the 2022 Junior World Championships competing for Germany, has explained why she switched to the Croatian national team — citing a Covid infection, her mother's cancer diagnosis, and a long-standing desire to make decisions for herself rather than for others.
Three difficult years
In an interview with the International Biathlon Union (IBU), Moric described the period following her junior success as deeply testing. A Covid infection curtailed her progress, and her mother's cancer diagnosis compounded the strain. She told the IBU she had contemplated ending her career entirely before ultimately choosing a different path. "The last three years were hard for me," she said. "I had a fear of making mistakes and of not being good enough."
Reflecting on the decision to change allegiance, Moric was candid about what had been driving her choices. "I became aware that in recent years I had made many decisions simply to please other people," she said. "Now I wanted to do something for myself."
Independence on and off the course
The move to Croatia has brought a markedly different structure to her athletic life. Moric now organises her own training, plans her own camps, and has no permanent base. She sees her team-mates only rarely. Rather than presenting this as a hardship, she described it as a natural fit. "I was always more of an individual fighter," she said.
She added that the change had restored her enjoyment of the sport. "Now I have fun in biathlon again and I look forward every time I cross the finish line."
A homecoming in Ruhpolding
Moric made her World Cup debut for Croatia in January, and the venue carried particular significance: Ruhpolding, the Bavarian town where she grew up. She described the occasion as "indescribably beautiful", and said she had been moved by the warmth of the German crowd despite her change of nationality. "Everyone treated me with respect, even though I am no longer competing for Germany," she said. "I fulfilled every selfie request."
The reception in Ruhpolding suggests that Moric's transition, however unconventional, has been met with understanding. Whether she can translate her renewed motivation into World Cup results for Croatia remains to be seen.
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