The VO2 testing is just one of the unique ways Morton has prepared for a potential Olympic debut.
The other is roller-skiing, which is an exercise similar to rollerblading to replicate the movement of skiing.
“It’s really common for all biathletes. I do it a lot in Australia as well,” Morton said.
“It’s sometimes more difficult on the roads in Australia because people don’t know what you’re doing, they’re a bit confused about what you’re doing on the road, but that one is the exercise that mimics skiing, so it’s the closest we can get to skiing without being on snow.”
Biathlon is a foreign sport to most Australians, although there is one track at Mount Hotham in Victoria which gets snow for about 16 to 18 weeks a year.
But for Morton, the sport was always part of her life. Her father Cameron represented Australia in biathlon at the 2006 Olympics in Torino.
Now, Morton is attempting to follow in his footsteps.
“I had always aimed for world cup [events] and results at world cup, and I didn’t really expect that I’d be able to get to the Olympics until the last few years,” Morton said.
“I tried to go to the last Olympics as well, but I was injured, and I had an ankle injury before that and I got really sick. So, I didn’t really have high hopes. But the last few years I’ve gotten much better results, and now I’m actually in the running for the qualification.”
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As an Australian, it’s difficult to qualify for the Olympics in biathlon.
There are a total of 105 places in the Olympic event, but 93 of those go to nationally ranked teams and the host nation, of which Australia is neither. That leaves 12 spots for individual athletes, and that’s one of the spots Morton is trying to secure.
At this point, Morton is still aiming to seal her Olympic qualification, but quotas aren’t secured until late January.
With three world cup events left before the Olympics in February, Morton was confident she could handle the pressure and get the points to secure an Olympic debut.
“I’ve had a lot of experience with it which is good, leading into these few races and the pressure I’ll be put under, but I think I’ve had good preparation this year as well and the previous few years,” she said.
