Biathlon World Championships: German Women’s Relay Misses Medal

The German women’s relay team – composed of Sophia Schneider, Selina Grotian, Julia Tannheimer, and Franziska Preuß – delivered a disappointing performance at the World Championships in Lenzerheide. Initially, Schneider set the pace but incurred a penalty after a shooting error during the prone shoot, which immediately put the team at a disadvantage with a 22-second gap to the French leader Lou Jeanmonnot. Although the rest of the team rallied behind her, the cumulative effect of extra penalty loops and errors meant that they could not close the gap.

Grotian managed to recover some time in the difficult, deep snow but still required extra rounds in the prone shooting. Tannheimer, who showed determination and precision with only one extra round in the standing shoot, kept the hopes alive by steadily improving her position. However, closing the relay, Franziska Preuß, faced a nearly two-minute deficit and despite a strong individual effort, could not bring her team into medal contention. Meanwhile, the French quartet – consisting of Lou Jeanmonnot, Oceane Michelon, Justine Braisaz-Bouchet, and Julia Simon – dominated the race, securing their sixth gold medal with an impressive lead over rivals from Norway and Sweden.

Post-race, Schneider expressed her deep disappointment, apologizing for her error and acknowledging that she did not manage to keep her rifle calm. Preuß noted that such setbacks, although painful, are learning opportunities. With this medal drought marking their first since 2019, the German women’s relay will look to regroup and aim for their first relay gold since 2017 in upcoming international competitions.