Reacts to New Norwegian Shooting Collapse at World Championships: 'It Should Not Happen'

At the Biathlon World Championships in Lenzerheide on Sunday, Norwegian athletes suffered a major setback during the pursuit start event. Ingrid Landmark Tandrevold, along with the other Norwegian shooters, missed 22 out of 80 shots. Tandrevold began in the 23rd position, and although she managed to deliver ten flawless shots in the first two series, her performance collapsed when she missed four shots in the standing position, causing her to finish 18th.

Former champion Ole Einar Bjørndalen criticized the performance, stating, “It should not happen under such fine conditions.” His remarks came after observing that Tandrevold missed three standing shots during the event. This shooting collapse compounded the problems the Norwegian team already faced in the sprint event on Friday, effectively putting any medal hopes in jeopardy.

In a stark contrast to the Norwegian struggles, German Franziska Preuss — who is coached by Norwegian Sverre Olsbu Røiseland — delivered a near-perfect performance to win the gold medal. Preuss finished ahead of Swedish Elvira Öberg and French Justine Braisaz-Bouchet, celebrating her victory in front of an enthusiastic crowd.

The day was marked by disappointment for the Norwegian team, highlighting the critical importance of consistent shooting performance in international biathlon competitions.