Biathlon World Championships: Gold for Perrot in the Individual Race – Horn Finishes Seventh

Individual Race at the Biathlon World Championships

In a thrilling men's individual race at the Biathlon World Championships in Lenzerheide, French biathlete Eric Perrot turned the tables on the race favorite Johannes Thingnes Boe. Perrot, who had already celebrated victory in the mixed relay, delivered an almost flawless performance by hitting 19 out of 20 targets over a challenging 20-kilometer course. He edged out Italy’s Tommaso Giacomel and compatriot Quentin Fillon Maillet – the latter incurring three penalty minutes but managing to secure the bronze medal after a strong final round.

Perrot was ecstatic in his post-race interview, stating, "This is unbelievable. I will never forget this day. I knew I had everything to put on a good race. It wasn’t easy, but I stayed very focused and enjoyed every moment." His triumph marks the biggest achievement of his career so far.

German Team Struggles and a Glimmer of Hope

The German biathletes entered the race as long shots, especially after Philipp Nawrath was forced to sit out for health reasons. However, athletes such as Philipp Horn, Johannes Kühn, Danilo Riethmüller, and the replacement David Zobel showed signs of improvement at the shooting range compared to their previous performances. Philipp Horn, despite two missed targets, surged from 44th to 17th during the pursuit part of the race and ultimately finished seventh – making him the best performing German of the day. Johannes Kühn finished 12th, while Riethmüller and Zobel ended up 22nd and 28th respectively. "It was a small step in the right direction," commented German sports director Felix Bitterling.

Top Favorites Falter

Even the favorites were not immune to mistakes. Johannes Thingnes Boe, the newly crowned record world champion from previous sprint and pursuit victories, made three early shooting errors that severely undermined his performance. His mistakes essentially opened the door for Perrot’s stunning victory. Tommaso Giacomel, who had dominated most of the race, also saw his title hopes diminished after a critical error in the final shooting stage.

Overall, while the Frenchman celebrated his landmark individual win, the day was bittersweet for the German squad, who will look to build on these experiences in the coming competitions.