Jesper Nelin: “A cold can make or break an entire season”
As the official supplier to the Swedish national biathlon team, Enzymatica AB works closely with athletes who perform at the highest level, where staying healthy is critical to success. Even a minor illness can have significant consequences during an intense competition season.
We had the opportunity to speak with Jesper Nelin about how he approaches health, recovery and infection prevention – and what a common cold can mean when competing at the elite level.
“We need to be disciplined all the time”
You train at an elite level. What is the biggest difference between how an elite athlete and a regular exerciser need to think about recovery and health?
I don’t think most people need to think about it that much, whereas in our position, we really have to be careful almost all the time. We need to stick to our routines wherever we are.
“A cold can have major consequences”
How much impact can a common cold have on a biathlete in the middle of the season?
A huge impact. It can mean lost competition points, lost sponsorship income and ranking points. So it’s definitely something we take very seriously.
“Extremely frustrating when you do everything right”
Have you ever had to cancel competitions or training due to a cold? How frustrating is that?
Oh yes, many times. It’s extremely tough and frustrating, especially when you feel like you’re doing everything you can to avoid getting sick.
Daily routines to reduce the risk of illness
What do you do in your everyday life to minimize the risk of getting sick during the competition season?
I’m very careful about washing my hands and using hand sanitizer many times throughout the day. For example, I always use hand sanitizer before eating. That’s one of the most important habits I rely on.
I also try to keep my distance. I think we learned a lot during the COVID pandemic about how important distancing is in reducing the spread of infections. So, hand hygiene and keeping distance are things I pay extra attention to.
Travel and competitions – a higher risk
Is there any time of year when the risk of getting sick is particularly high, for example during travel or championships?
Yes, absolutely. During travel in particular, I often bring ColdZyme with me and use it to reduce the risk of getting sick.
Otherwise, it’s really only during the summer that I allow myself to relax my routines a bit. The risk of catching a cold is lower then, and I also think it can be beneficial to be exposed to some bacteria from time to time so that the immune system gets to work and stay strong.
“I want to feel that I’ve done everything I can”
Have you personally used ColdZyme, and if so, how do you use it?
Absolutely. We in the national biathlon team have received some ColdZyme products, and we’ve used them, including in the weeks leading up to the winter championships.
I mainly use it when we’re traveling and as soon as I feel any kind of tickle in my throat. Once I was at the championships, I used ColdZyme every day because I really wanted to feel that I had done everything I could to avoid getting sick.
Small margins at the elite level
When you look around at your peers during a competition like the Olympics, do you see anyone taking risks that you personally wouldn’t take?
It’s hard to say, but I’m very careful about washing my hands and using hand sanitizer before touching anything that goes near my mouth. I also try to keep my distance.
If someone gets sick, they are isolated immediately. But things like hand hygiene, distancing, and using ColdZyme are habits I stick to. Not everyone does that, and I think that increases the risk of getting sick – which is something you definitely want to avoid in a competition like that.
We thank Jesper Nelin for sharing his experiences and insights on what it takes to perform at the highest level!