March 26, 2007
As a standout distance runner for the Penn State women's cross country and track & field teams, junior Sonja Hinish embodies the ultimate Penn State athlete. In addition to her success on and off the track, Hinish is an accomplished biathlete. Since she was 15 years old, Hinish has competed successfully in the summer biathlon.
Summer biathlon was initially a training method employed by the winter biathletes to stay in shape and prepare for the upcoming winter events. Summer biathlon eventually emerged as a sport combining cross country running and rifle marksmanship, while the Olympic sport of winter biathlon combines the disciplines of cross country skiing and rifle marksmanship. Hinish was introduced to summer biathlon by her friend, Doug Hoover, and started competing in biathlons in July of 2001. The summer biathlon championship season conflicts with Hinish's training and racing for Penn State cross country, so at this time she only runs one or two races in the summer for fun.
"I enjoy the combination of events, it puts a twist on the competition," said Hinish. "If you're having an off day in one event you can try to make up for it in the other."
Domestically, the summer biathlon is governed by the United States Biathlon Association (USBA). Each year the USBA hosts a national championship and world championship trials. The events combine over 30 races held annually nationwide. The International Biathlon Union (IBU) is the international governing body of the sport, which is responsible for the Olympic winter competitions as well as the World Championship summer competitions. A variety of races encompass summer biathlon: sprint, pursuit, mass start and relay. The standard international format employs targets at 50 meters using a .22 caliber rifle.
For Hinish, living on a farm makes it convenient to practice her shooting. She sets up a target and prepares for the summer biathlon through daily cross country training and practice shooting. She enjoys the challenge and finds the added stressors to her body to be beneficial to her cross country training.
"An elevated heart rate and heavy breathing are added challenges when it comes to the shooting part of summer biathlon," said Hinish.
Only a year after delving into the summer biathlon, Hinish was ranked sixth in the country for 2002. She was a youth champion at the USBA 2002 National Championship in Coleraine, Minn. In July 2002, she competed in the World Championship Trials in West Yellowstone, Mont. On the first day of trials, Hinish placed fifth in the sprint with 50 percent shooting. The second day of trials encompassed the pursuit in which she placed 10th with 20 percent shooting. On the third day, Hinish finished fourth in the relay format with 69 percent shooting. Her performances at the trials qualified her for the Junior World Championships in Jablonec, Czech Republic.
On the first day of the World Championships, Hinish finished 20th in the sprint race (4k). The second day, Hinish placed 29th in the pursuit race (6k). On the last day of the championships, her team finished eighth in the relay race. Coincidentally, Hinish was teammates with Cassie Hunt, a standout distance runner for Big Ten rival Illinois. Her bronze medal at the 2002 Junior World Championships was the highest finish ever for a U.S. athlete at the summer championships.
In a typical local race, the timing will start with waves of two runners every minute. The distance of each running loop can be up to a mile long. As the competitor arrives at the shooting range following their first running loop, they must transition mentally from being a runner to a marksman. In the first stage, they will shoot five shots while lying down (prone). The targets are 1.8-inch diameter metal knock-down targets. For every missed target, they must run a 70-meter penalty loop. After completing any penalty loops, competitors return to the running course before running to the range to shoot five targets from the standing (offhand) position. The targets are slightly larger, 4.5-inches in diameter. A 70-meter penalty loop is also run for any missed targets in this phase of the biathlon. Once the competitor has completed the standing position and any required penalty loops, they complete one final tour of the running course before finishing.
Hinish enjoys the mental challenges posed by the biathlon. "Biathlon is a more strategic race than just running," said Hinish.
Hinish, a native of Williamsburg, Pa., is majoring in architectural engineering with a minor in architectural studies. On the track, she had a break through year in 2006, qualifying and competing in the NCAA East Regional Championships in the steeplechase. At the 2006 Big Ten Indoor Track and Field Championships, Hinish ran the 3,000 meters and competed in the steeplechase at the 2005 and 2006 Big Ten Outdoor Track and Field Championships.