Thingnes Bø aims for season's first victory - outpaced fellow countryman after a close battle

Thingnes Bø aims for season's first victory – outpaced fellow countryman after a close battle at Hochfilzen.

Johannes Thingnes Bø, the reigning overall World Cup champion, returned to the top of the podium during the sprint in Hochfilzen.
While Bø missed one shot in the standing position, he showcased his trademark speed on the course.

His compatriot Sturla Holm Lægreid had a clean shooting performance and had more time on the track after the second shooting, but Bø's speed during the last round allowed him to clinch the win by a slim margin of 4.2 seconds.

French athlete Fabien Claude secured the last podium spot, finishing 6.8 seconds behind Bø.

"It feels really great to be back. I struggled to find my pace on the first lap, but overall, it was a well-executed race," Bø told NRK after his victory.

Recruit athletes also impressed on the day. Endre Strømsheim showed strong performance on the shooting range, hitting all targets but lacked the speed on the track to challenge the leaders, ultimately finishing fourth, just 7.4 seconds behind Bø.

This event highlights the promising talent in the upcoming Norwegian biathlon athletes.

However, it was a tough day for veteran competitors Tarjei Bø and Vetle Sjåstad Christiansen. Tarjei Bø recorded the same number of penalty rounds as Strømsheim but finished over a minute behind his younger brother. Sjåstad Christiansen had difficulties on the shooting range with multiple penalties, landing in 40th place, 1 minute and 51 seconds behind the winner.

This weekend will feature a pursuit event, but Sjåstad Christiansen will not compete since he placed outside the top 30 in the sprint.