The perfect story failed to materialize in the last race of the season for Johannes Thingnes Bö and his brother Tarjei, but the great emotions did not detract from the World Cup final in Oslo. Sebastian Samuelson’s victory in the mass start was almost into the background.
The Swede won the last race of the season on Sunday (March 23, 2025) after an error in front of the Frenchman Eric Perrot (1 error/+ 5.6 seconds) and the Norwegian Endre Strömsheim (0/+ 9.3).
On this day, the stage undoubtedly belonged to two other Norwegians: Johannes Thingnes and Tarjei Bö, who ended their great careers in Oslo. Johannes Thingnes Bö made four mistakes and missed the picture book party as seventh. His brother Tarjei became 23.
Emotional farewell to the Bö-Brüder
For the Bö-Brüder it was the last race of their great careers. Biathlon – that much is certain – will be different without Johannes Thingnes and his five -year brother Tarjei.
The younger World Cup gold won 23 times, won five Olympic victories and as often as the overall World Cup. Only biathlon legend Ole Einar Björndalen won more World Cup victories. Twelve World Cup titles and three Olympic wins went to Tarjei. Both shaped their sport for more than a decade and will not only leave a big gap in Norway.
Unlike the high dramatic finale of women, the race for the overall World Cup victory for men was already decided after Sturla Holm Laegreid grabbed the big crystal ball the day before. That alone should be reason enough for the dethroned Johannes Thingnes Bö to give everything again at his last appearance.
Jacquelin pretends the pace
After the first shooting, however, he was a few seconds after an error. From a German perspective, Justus Strelow and Philipp Nawrath were able to get involved in the top group, which was led by Emilia Jacquelin. The Frenchman then attracted the pace enormously and tore a first gap until the second lying shooting.
Before the competition even dropped the first shot, Jacquelin was already gone. There were plenty of mistakes behind it. In addition to Strelow, Bö also had to go back to the penalty round – 50 seconds was already behind. Nawrath, on the other hand, had kept himself harmless again and went back to the route as fourth. Tarjei Bö also remained flawless, but was still able to keep up in terms of health – but also in terms of health.
Bö fails too often – Nawrath falls back
His younger brother, on the other hand, was able to make up for a second by second – and now had to hope for mistakes from the competitors at the shooting range. He did the favor. In addition to Jacquelin and Sweden Sebastian Samuelsson, Nawrath also suffered the first two penalty rounds. And Bö? He could not take advantage of this again and also had to circle 150 extraments. Instead, two other Norwegians took the lead with Isak Frey and Endre Strömsheim – closely followed by Quentin Fillon Maillet and Samuelsson.
The two pursuers had passed by the final stand. Laegreid and Eric Perrot also mixed vigorously in the fight for the day’s victory – and, like Samuelsson and Strömsheim, met all five slices. With his fourth mistake, however, Bö, on the other hand, also robbed himself of the last chances of winning. Ultimately, Samuelsson grabbed it with a strong final round. Behind it went to Perrot and Strömsheim, which was still overtaking on the final round.