Kirkeeide delivers dream leg – secures Norwegian World Championship medal

At Lenzerheide during the Women's World Championship relay, 21‐year‐old biathlete Maren Hjelmeset Kirkeeide had the honor of anchoring the Norwegian team. She was tasked with the crucial final leg and rose to the occasion with a dream performance.

Kirkeeide’s split was exceptional. While the French team clinched the gold, she managed to close the gap in a field where the other medal contenders – Slovenia, Sweden, and others – were only about 20 seconds ahead. Starting her leg in a shared second position, she quickly erased a 25‐second gap to her nearest competitors. In the final standing shooting, although she missed once, her overall performance was never in jeopardy.

Her flawless execution on the course ensured that Norway crossed the finish line just over a minute behind France, with Sweden securing the third podium spot. Post-race, Kirkeeide expressed her excitement, telling NRK, “It was really cool.” Her efforts, combined with the contributions of her teammates Karoline Knotten, Ingrid Lanmark Tandrevold (who had to take a penalty round) and Ragnhild Femsteinevik, secured an important medal for Norway at the World Championships.