Yukon biathlete Cheyenne Tirschmann continued her upward climb in the sport with a very successful 2024 Canadian Biathlon Championships.

The Championships took place in Hinton, Alta. March 27-31.

The Star spoke with Tirschmann and her mom, Anke Rhein, recently about the memorable competition.

"They were pretty awesome," recalled Tirschmann. "I had some really good results, and I got to see all the athletes from all the different clubs across Canada. And it was just great to be out there racing, finishing up the season."

Tirschmann won three gold medals, two of them in individual competition, one in a sprint race, and the other in a pursuit race.

She won her third gold in a relay with fellow Yukoner Cole Germain.

"Last year around the same time at Canada Winter Games, we were on the same team in the same race format. And we got a bronze medal in P.E.I. It was pretty special to be able to be on the same team again, do it again, but this time, get a better placement. We've been training together more so we got to know each other more. And just achieving it together was pretty special."

Germain and Tirschmann have been training together for four years. Germain graduated last year.

"He moved down to Sovereign (Lake Nordic Club in Vernon, B.C.) to train and then I moved down to Sovereign to train too, so we train together there too," related Tirschmann.

Tirschmann agreed that it's nice to have a teammate to train with in Sovereign.

"It's pretty special."

Tirschmann explained the distances involved with her national races.

"The sprint is 6 km, which means that I shoot twice. First time, I'm laying down. So I'm in prone position on smaller targets, and then the second time I'm standing up shooting bigger targets.

"And in the pursuit, I got to shoot four times. And so that was a total of 7.5 km.

"And then the relay. It was a single mixed relay, but it was modified. So, my partner Cole, he did six kilometres first, and then he tagged off to me. And then I did six kilometres. And then I finished for our team."

Tirschmann was asked if it's normal for Yukon athletes to have this kind of success at Nationals.

She replied, "We have some really strong Yukon athletes out there. We have Nadia Moser, who is a member of the senior national team. And she also got three podiums."

Germain also reached the podium three times.

"And then we had another athlete, Romeo Champagne, who had some pretty strong results too," she added. "So there's a couple of really good athletes out there."

Tirschmann was asked if her experience at the Nationals was a lot different than competing at the Junior Olympics in Gangwon, Korea.

"Honestly, not really," she replied. "Gangwon was obviously a lot bigger because there were all the countries there. But there was the same type of atmosphere that everyone was there to compete, fair and square, to have fun, and everyone loves the sport. It was pretty great. It was a lot less intense, though. A lot less pressure.

"And no yummy Korean food," she added.

(In a previous interview on her experience in Korea, Tirschmann made a point of saying how much she loved the Korean food.)

Tirschmann was asked how it feels to be this successful at such a young age.

"It feels good," she responded. "All that training, for sure, paid off."

The Yukon biathletes at the nationals were accompanied by coaches Nick Marnik, Tracey Hutton and Ted Hupé.

Despite her heroics, Tirschmann hasn't been named to the national team yet.

"I will probably be named to the junior national team. Hopefully."

Tirschmann explained how the selection process works.

"For each international competition, we have trials; we have to try out. And then the top couple of athletes make the international competition.

"We normally have trials in the fall like, end of October, start of November, for the first time to go international. And then we have trials again in January to go to Junior World Champs, which will be in Sweden next year. That would be pretty special."

Tirschmann acknowledged she would have a shot at going to the Junior World Championships, which take place Feb. 25 to March 5, 2025.

"I hope so. If I keep training hard. And hitting my targets."

Coming up for Tirschmann is catching up on her school work.

"Once that's done, slowly starting with the summer training, getting back into running, roller skiing, all that kind of stuff."

Rhein also attended the Canadian Championships with her daughter.

"It was a really fascinating experience again, to see the athletes, to see the coaches, the athletes supporting each other and cheering for each other.

"It was a fantastic atmosphere. It was really well organized. Lots of volunteers. Yeah. Unbelievable. Could see basically how much work is put in such an event. There were over 200 athletes racing, about a 100 in the morning and then another 100 in the afternoon."

Rhein commended the volunteers for their efforts on the course.

"I think a really great job from all the volunteers which were around and it was also slightly difficult at the beginning with the snow conditions. On the first day it was really warm and so they worked really hard to have a well-tracked ski course for the athletes. And then luckily on the second day, it was snowing, so that was really good."

Rhein enjoyed a reunion of sorts at the nationals.

"It was nice for me to meet some of the other parents, which I've met in the Olympics. We had a nice time, to meet each other again."

Rhein was asked how it feels to see her daughter have this kind of success.

"We are very proud of her and it's nice to see that all the work and the effort she puts in into the sport is showing some success."

Rhein and Tirschmann added they're really thankful for the coaches, volunteers and "everyone who made it happen, everyone who made it a great environment."