Women
GER
Bianca Merker-Walter
GER- Date of birth31 Mar 1990
- Height167 CM
- ProfessionAthlete
- HometownDresden
- Place of birthDresden
- Start skating Club She took up the sport in 1999 in Dresden, Germany. Eislauf-Verein Dresden [EVD]: Germany
- HobbiesReading, wakeboarding, dogs. (desg.de, 01 Sep 2020)
- LanguagesEnglish, German
- Other nameBibi (teamdeutschland.de, 12 Apr 2019)
- FamliyHusband Willy Merker
- CoachN/A
- ChoreographerN/A
- Former CoachN/A
- Practice low seasonN/A
- Practice high seasonN/A
- General Interest
- Sport Specific Information
"It's not always about being the fastest. Sometimes the more tactically clever, or the one with a bit of luck wins. That is what makes our sport so attractive." (athlet.one, 18 Apr 2020)
Her mother. (Athlete, 12 Jan 2017)
Her mother. (Athlete, 07 Feb 2020)
She underwent knee surgery in October 2020. (Instagram profile, 13 Oct 2020)
In July 2018 she required surgery after twisting her knee during a training camp. An MRI scan had revealed that a mucous membrane fold in her knee had become trapped, resulting in pain and inflammation. (focus.de, 11 Jul 2018)
In July 2018 she required surgery after twisting her knee during a training camp. An MRI scan had revealed that a mucous membrane fold in her knee had become trapped, resulting in pain and inflammation. (focus.de, 11 Jul 2018)
To compete at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing. (desg.de, 01 Sep 2020)
Winning gold in the 3000m relay at the 2010 European Championships in Dresden, Germany, and competing at the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang. (Athlete, 07 Feb 2020)
CAREER OUTSIDE OF SPORT
She was a member of the German Federal Police sports promotion group from 2011 to 2015. In addition to training as a full-time athlete since then, she has taken on a number of internships and also been a member of the district fire department in Dresden, Germany. However, she has ambitions to rejoin the police force once she has retired from short track. "I have done a number of internships to get to know different professions better. I was able to get a taste of public relations and management, which I really liked. Next I would be interested in combating crime. I think I know my goal is within the police at the end of my sports career." (desg.de, 01 Sep 2020; athlet.one, 18 Apr 2020)
She was a member of the German Federal Police sports promotion group from 2011 to 2015. In addition to training as a full-time athlete since then, she has taken on a number of internships and also been a member of the district fire department in Dresden, Germany. However, she has ambitions to rejoin the police force once she has retired from short track. "I have done a number of internships to get to know different professions better. I was able to get a taste of public relations and management, which I really liked. Next I would be interested in combating crime. I think I know my goal is within the police at the end of my sports career." (desg.de, 01 Sep 2020; athlet.one, 18 Apr 2020)
She has up to four training sessions a day, six days a week. "A session usually lasts one to two hours or more. In winter we spend about eight hours a day at the ice rink."
Her mother was a speed skater. "At age three I learned ice skating from my mother, who was a successful speed skater. Since my grandmother was a figure skating coach, my sister and I often had the opportunity to go on the ice. In fact, I tried other things first. It wasn't until the fourth grade that I had the goal of going to sports school and chose short track as a competitive sport."
