Biathlon: Elvira Öberg second in the mass start – Preuss secured the overall World Cup after drama

Biathlon: Elvira Öberg second in the mass start – Preuss secured the overall World Cup after drama
Uppdaterad idag 15:32
Publicerad idag 13:54
Franziska Preuss and Lou Jeanmonnot engaged in a thrilling battle for the overall World Cup title in the final mass start race. The two competitors tangled at the end, allowing Preuss to sprint past the finish line first, while Elvira Öberg took second place.

Preuss expressed her mixed feelings about the race, stating, "It was not the ending I wanted," reflecting on the dramatic finish where she edged out Jeanmonnot.

Despite the controversy, Preuss's victory secured her the overall title, with Jeanmonnot finishing third. The French team initially filed a protest following the incident but later withdrew it.

"I'm really exhausted mentally. It's a strange feeling. It's really not how we wanted it to end," Preuss commented, highlighting the emotional toll of the competition.

In a twist of sportsmanship, Jeanmonnot mentioned that Preuss suggested they could split the victory, showing camaraderie amidst the competition.

For Elvira Öberg, her performance was commendable as she shot cleanly in the final round despite earlier mistakes, which propelled her to a strong finish.

"I'm very satisfied with my own performance today. It's a shame about my earlier misses. I felt surprisingly fresh. We have fantastic skis; I'm very pleased," Öberg shared.

Ultimately, the event provided a poignant reminder of the complexities and unpredictability of competitive sports, with emotions running high as athletes battled for supremacy on the world stage.