NMMI Sports Press
Bronco pentathlete Viktoria Ahaus recently signed a national letter of intent to continue fencing at the University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio, Texas, where she will be guided by well-known fencing and pentathlon coach John Moreau.
Ahaus trained and competed in modern pentathlon under the tutelage of former Olympian and longtime NMMI coach Jan Olesinkski, and ran Bronco cross-country for another former Olympian, Nathan Schrimsher.
"They taught me to not give up and always see the good and positive," Ahaus said. "They were both Olympians and I learned a lot from them during my time here. I can confidently say that I am a better athlete, both physically and mentally, due to their input and coaching."
Ahaus came to NMMI from Lemgo, Germany in the spring of 2021. At that year's NJCAA Division-I Cross Country Championships, Ahaus finished 88th out of 160 runners in the five-kilometer race with an overall time of 21:26.2 and an average mile of 6:53.9. The women's team finished 11th out of 23.
"XC Nationals in Richmond, Virginia was one of my favorite experiences during my time at NMMI," Ahaus said. "We had a great time and I loved my team. After the competition we went to Washington, D.C. and it was just amazing. I am still very good friend with these girls and I had a great race as well."
Ahaus plans to earn a Bachelor of Science in biology and eventually attend medical school. She feels her time as a cadet helped to prepare her for any challenges that lie ahead.
"It can be a tough environment and not everyone can handle the discipline and expected standards, but there is so much more to it than just rules," Ahaus said. "I learned how to handle stress, pressure and competitive environments. I think military schools are a great place for character development and exploring the kind of person you want to be."
Ahaus said she's thankful for the supportive academic faculty and staff that helped her excel as a busy student-athlete.
"My academic advisor, MAJ Staci Saiz, is one person who has pushed and motivated me a lot during my time here," she said. "She made me feel like I am completely capable of reaching my career goals and she has always believed in me."
Ahaus starts at UIW in January and said she'll be sad to leave her NMMI friends, but especially her younger sister, Charlotte, a freshman cross-country runner.
"I underestimated the strong friendships I would form here," Ahaus said. "Everyone is going through the same situation and friends become family. I am sad not to be able to train with my sister anymore, but I know we both have our own paths and journeys. She is my best friend and teammate and I'm very grateful we had the chance to compete on the same team."