Next podium for the German biathletes in Northeast Finland. In the men’s sprint, Roman Rees shot clean and was able to celebrate behind two Norwegians.
Roman Rees celebrated the second podium of his career at the Biathlon World Cup in Kontiolahti. In the 10-kilometer sprint on Saturday (December 3, 2022), the Black Forester finished third with a clean shooting. At the finish, Rees was 28.8 seconds behind the Norwegian winner of the day, Johannes Thingnes Bö (23:09.0 minutes), who prevailed against compatriot Sturla Holm Laegreid (+ 10.5 seconds).
Norwegian Bö wins despite a penalty loop
Johannes Thingnes Bö won his first biathlon sprint since the Olympics in Beijing in February with a shooting error. The second shot missed in the standing attempt, but on the cross-country ski run the 29-year-old was again the strongest athlete in the entire field. Teammate Laegreid shot clean in both stages. Out of the daily top 10, only Laegreid and Rees managed to hit all ten targets.
In addition to Rees, Youngster came from the German team Justus Strelow error-free. The 25-year-old made it into the top 20.
Sable: “Now we can celebrate together”
Had to go into the penalty loop once David Zobel, the third of the individual in Kontiolahti. Ironically, the last shot in standing went just off the bottom right, after three clean shootings by Kontiolahti, this meant the first shooting mistake of the winter, in the end eighth place.
Zobel, who is training in Oberhof, first thought of team-mate Rees at the finish line: “Today he shot clean. And then such a great final round. That was outstanding. And now we can both rejoice together. Optimal.” About his own race he said: “I had an outstanding board. A mistake in six shootings, that can happen. But when it’s the last one, it annoys you a bit.”
Two errors for Doll and Kühn
Two mistakes each Benedict Doll and Johannes Kuehn, who came in tenth and eleventh. Philipp Nawrath also missed twice.
Last year’s World Cup winner not in the top 10 – “Disappointing“
Also Quentin Fillon Maillet, last year’s overall World Cup winner, still has to wait for the first individual podium of the winter. The Frenchman missed the top 10 on Saturday with a shooting error. Fillon Maillet can’t keep up with the top athletes in terms of skiing. A shooting error in the prone position quickly dashed the Frenchman’s podium hopes.
“It’s not what I expected“Said a disappointed Fillon Maillet after the race in the sports show: “I’m disappointed. The season before last also got off to a rocky start. I’m disappointed with my skis. My summer training was really good. Hopefully that will pay off again.”