Biathlon Sprint Champion Jillian Colebourn wins Australian Biathlon Championships at Mt Hotham

CROSS-COUNTRY skiing is a hard task but for Biathlon Sprint Champion Jillian Colebourn, it is when the rifle is brought into the mix that things get complicated.

Australian Biathlon Champion Jill Colebourn at the 2016 championships.

CROSS-COUNTRY skiing is a hard task but for Biathlon Sprint Champion Jillian Colebourn, it is when the rifle is brought into the mix that things get complicated.

The 21-year-old Wahroonga local has just returned from the Australian Biathlon Sprint Championships at Mt Hotham, where she won the Women’s Open Class.

Australian Biathlon Champion Jill Colebourn at the 2016 championships.

“I train all year round,” Colebourn said. “I never have a break despite the hot conditions, if you want to get better you need that determination and there is always ways to keep your regimen up.”

The champion athlete travels to the skiing wonderland of Livigno, Italy to undergo intense training session with coach Luka Bormolini for three months of the year.

“I started biathlon when I was 16, so just five years ago,” she said. “I took on the Australian Championships in my first year and then went to the Northern Hemisphere to check out the competition and compete in my first international race in the British Army National Championships at the age of 16.

Australian Biathlon Champion Jill Colebourn at the 2016 championships.

“But in later years I took on the European Championships and loved every second of it.”

Colebourn says the leafy surroundings of Wahroonga doesn’t disadvantage her from her cold climate counterparts however.

Australian Biathlon Champion Jill Colebourn at the 2016 championships.

“I am not really that disadvantage, even though the snow is far away, it is far away from everyone really,” she said.

“Even the European countries have a blistering hot summer season, I do a lot of summer training but I also go down to the local Hornsby shooting range for rifle practice at least once a week to keep my aim up.

“When I am on snow I train at least one session of shooting and skiing every day, when I am at home I do other exercises, but during competition season I am usually taking on at least two training sessions a day.”