Tearful Drama Around Biathlon World Champion - "A Tough Exceptional Situation"

Tearful Drama Around World Champion

Without the ailing number one, the German relay team missed a surprise finish. At the front, dramatic scenes played out for world champion Julia Simon.

The German biathletes, without the unwell Franziska Preuß, missed out on a surprise and finished out of the top positions. The young team, consisting of Johanna Puff, Julia Tannheimer, Julia Kink, and Preuß's replacement Vanessa Voigt, placed seventh on Sunday in Finnish Kontiolahti, finishing with one penalty loop and eleven reloads as Sweden took victory (1 penalty loop + 6 reloads).

Meanwhile, at the front, dramatic scenes unfolded. In the battle for victory, Julia Simon from France suddenly faltered on the final lap, struggling to finish while fighting back tears. The six-time world champion barely managed to secure second place before Norway at the finish line.

"A Tough Exceptional Situation"

The French athlete appeared to have suffered an injury, repeatedly clutching her left leg and battling tears on the final lap. "That was a tough exceptional situation," said ZDF expert Denise Herrmann-Wick.

After the race, Simon told L’Equipe: "I don't know if it was a cramp; we'll see. We're waiting for it to cool down and then we'll do some tests. I had a slight issue in 2018 in Oberhof at this spot. Back then, I had a tear, so I really hope it's just a cramp this time."

Preuß Must Miss Due to Illness

Several hours before the start, another health setback derailed Preuß's lineup. "Franzi showed slight signs of infection overnight, which unfortunately need to be addressed to prevent further symptoms," team doctor Jan Wüstenfeld reported. Therefore, Voigt had to step in as the anchor leg despite initially being rested after her third-place finish in the single-mixed relay with Justus Strelow.

Puff went first for Germany. At the shooting range, she only needed one reload, but struggled to keep pace on the course. "It was pretty hard today," the 22-year-old told ZDF's microphone.

Tannheimer had to start with a deficit of 41 seconds, which ballooned to over a minute after four more missed shots. After Kink also required three reloads, Germany was in eighth place and nearly two minutes behind at the third leg change to Voigt. The Thuringian then had to execute a penalty loop.

Competition continues in Kontiolahti on Tuesday (4:20 PM/ARD and Eurosport) with a shortened men's individual race, where the heavily criticized new starting regulations will come under the spotlight. While they promise excitement on paper, the top athletes, who now hit the course significantly later, fear disadvantages concerning the course conditions.