Big stage for the best young biathletes in the world: In Otepää it’s all about world titles these days – and the Germans are at the forefront.
After the gold medals in the individual for Julia Tannheimer (juniors) and Alma Siegesmund (youth), Melina Gaupp also made it onto the podium. In the youth sprint, the 15-year-old from SC Vöhringen (Bavaria) came in third place on Tuesday (February 27, 2024). Individual winner Siegesmund (+ 35 seconds / 0 errors) rounded off the strong DSV performance in fifth place.
Blink of an eyelash
Gaupp, who started late with start number 56, was even allowed to dream of gold, but for that to happen all the targets would have had to fall. That didn’t work. With one mistake in the second shooting, she finished the six-kilometer race 20.2 seconds behind winner Elsa Tanglander from Sweden (18:55.9 minutes / 1 mistake). The Frenchwoman Voldiya Galmace Paulin (2 errors) secured silver. Gaupp’s bronze place was a shaky game in the last few meters. In the end, the young German was 0.7 seconds faster than the Italian Carlotta Gautero.
