Additional Information
Highlights
| Rank | Event | Year | Location | Result |
|---|
| Olympic Winter Games |
| 5 | 4x7.5km Relay | 2010 | Vancouver, BC, CAN | 1:23:16.0 |
| 12 | 20km Individual | 2010 | Vancouver, BC, CAN | 50:43.5 |
| 13 | 12.5km Pursuit | 2010 | Vancouver, BC, CAN | 35:03.4 |
| 15 | 15km Mass Start | 2010 | Vancouver, BC, CAN | 36:30.2 |
| 23 | 10km Sprint | 2010 | Vancouver, BC, CAN | 26:06.4 |
| World Championships |
| 1 | 2x6km Women + 2x7.5km Men Mixed Relay | 2008 | Ostersund, SWE | 1:12:20.5 |
| 2 | 15km Mass Start | 2007 | Anterselva, ITA | 38:07.5 |
| 3 | 4x7.5km Relay | 2013 | Nove Mesto na Morave, CZE | 1:16:57.5 |
| 3 | 4x7.5km Relay | 2012 | Ruhpolding, GER | 1:18:19.8 |
| 3 | 2x6km Women + 2x7.5km Men Mixed Relay | 2012 | Ruhpolding, GER | 1:13:02.1 |
| 3 | 4x7.5km Relay | 2008 | Ostersund, SWE | 1:22:43.2 |
| 4 | 20km Individual | 2012 | Ruhpolding, GER | 47:01.3 |
| 4 | 15km Mass Start | 2012 | Ruhpolding, GER | 38:30.0 |
| 5 | 12.5km Pursuit | 2011 | Khanty-Mansiysk, RUS | 34:06.6 |
| 6 | 10km Sprint | 2011 | Khanty-Mansiysk, RUS | 25:05.8 |
| 7 | 4x7.5km Relay | 2011 | Khanty-Mansiysk, RUS | 1:17:05.3 |
| 8 | 20km Individual | 2013 | Nove Mesto na Morave, CZE | 51:19.6 |
| 8 | 20km Individual | 2011 | Khanty-Mansiysk, RUS | 49:57.4 |
| 11 | 15km Mass Start | 2013 | Nove Mesto na Morave, CZE | 36:53.0 |
| 12 | 12.5km Pursuit | 2012 | Ruhpolding, GER | 35:00.4 |
| 13 | 2x6km Women + 2x7.5km Men Mixed Relay | 2013 | Nove Mesto na Morave, CZE | 1:14:45.6 |
| 16 | 10km Sprint | 2012 | Ruhpolding, GER | 25:31.4 |
| 16 | 15km Mass Start | 2011 | Khanty-Mansiysk, RUS | 40:08.5 |
| 22 | 12.5km Pursuit | 2013 | Nove Mesto na Morave, CZE | 34:41.7 |
| 23 | 10km Sprint | 2013 | Nove Mesto na Morave, CZE | 24:49.8 |
| World Cup Rankings overview - displays all rankings from 2010/11, top three for earlier seasons |
| Season | Total | Individual | Sprint | Pursuit | Mass start |
|---|
| 2013/2014 | 32 | 56 | 48 | 19 | 4 |
| 2012/2013 | 5 | 2 | 6 | 10 | 4 |
| 2011/2012 | 3 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 1 |
| 2010/2011 | 14 | 10 | 9 | 13 | 19 |
| Best performance per season in World Cup events from 2010/2011 |
| Season | 20km IN | 10km SP | 12.5km PU | 15km MS | 4x7.5km RL | Mixed RL |
|---|
| 2013/2014 | 1 x 38th | 1 x 20th | 1 x 15th | 1 x 4th | 2 x 2nd | - |
| 2012/2013 | 1 x 2nd | 1 x 1st | 1 x 2nd | 1 x 1st | 1 x 2nd | 1 x 13th |
| 2011/2012 | 1 x 4th | 1 x 4th | 1 x 1st | 2 x 1st | 1 x 2nd | 1 x 3rd |
| 2010/2011 | 1 x 8th | 1 x 1st | 1 x 5th | 1 x 4th | 1 x 7th | 1 x 8th |
| Rank | Event | Year | Location | Result |
|---|
| Ten best World Cup performances in current season |
| 2 | 4x7.5km Relay | 2013/2014 | Ruhpolding, GER | 1:15:41.0 |
| 2 | 4x7.5km Relay | 2013/2014 | Annecy, FRA | 1:14:02.1 |
| 3 | 4x7.5km Relay | 2013/2014 | Anterselva, ITA | 1:15:12.9 |
| 4 | 15km Mass Start | 2013/2014 | Oberhof, GER | 38:01.0 |
| 6 | 4x7.5km Relay | 2013/2014 | Hochfilzen, AUT | 1:20:50.3 |
| 15 | 12.5km Pursuit | 2013/2014 | Hochfilzen, AUT | 33:56.9 |
| 16 | 12.5km Pursuit | 2013/2014 | Oberhof, GER | 36:55.5 |
| 20 | 10km Sprint | 2013/2014 | Oberhof, GER | 28:04.5 |
| 24 | 12.5km Pursuit | 2013/2014 | Ruhpolding, GER | 34:01.0 |
| 27 | 12.5km Pursuit | 2013/2014 | Anterselva, ITA | 32:56.2 |
| 27 | 12.5km Pursuit | 2013/2014 | Annecy, FRA | 33:37.5 |
LegendIN-Individual, SP-Sprint, PU-Pursuit, MS-Mass Start, RL-Relay, DNS-Did not start, DNF-Did not finish, DSQ-Disqualified
- Nickname: Andi, Birnei (andi-birnbacher.de, 07 Dec 2012)
- Occupation: Athlete, Serves in the Army
- Languages Spoken: English, German
- Debut: 2001 for Germany, World Cup (Anterselva) (andi-birnbacher.de, 07 Dec 2012)
- Previous Olympics: Vancouver 2010
- Hobbies: Kayaking, mountain biking, music, deep sea fishing. (andi-birnbacher.de, 07 Dec 2012)
- Family: Wife Anna Achenbach, son Louis
- Coach: Fritz Fischer [personal]; Mark Kirchner [national] (andi-birnbacher.de, 16 Dec 2013; sportschau.de 04 Dec 2013)
- Injuries: He missed the opening World Cup event of the 2013/14 season due to a cold. (sportal.de, 28 Nov 2013)
He suffered a torn medial ligament [knee] in July 2013. (biathlon-online.de, 31 Oct 2013)
He twisted his right ankle and suffered ligament damage at the beginning of the 2007/08 season. He returned to racing in December 2007. (fischer-ski.com, 07 Dec 2007)
Additional Information
Start of sporting careerHe began competing in biathlon at age 15. (biathlonworld.com, 18 Apr 2012)
Reason for taking up this sportHe was introduced to biathlon through his father, who sensed he had a talent for the sport. Former biathlete and family friend, Fritz Fischer, took him under his wing. (erdinger-alkoholfrei.de, 27 Feb 2012)
AmbitionsTo compete at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi. (sportschau.de, 04 Feb 2013)
Sporting philosophy / motto"The more you sweat in practice, the less you bleed in battle." (andi-birnbacher.de, 07 Dec 2012)
AwardsIn 2002 he was honoured with a Bavarian Sports Award in the category of Outstanding Young Athletes. (biathlon-aufschalke.de, 29 Dec 2012)
Social MediaHear more from the athlete via their
website and
Facebook.