Freezing conditions and strong wind: Violet fought with all her might, betrayed by shooting – Športky.sk

BEIJING – French biathlete Justine Braisaz-Bouchet won a gold medal at the 2022 Olympic Games in Beijing in Friday’s 12.5 km mass start. In 15.3 seconds she defeated the silver Tiril Eckhoff, the bronze was won by another Norwegian, Marte Olsbu-Röiseland, who was 34.9 seconds behind. Slovak national team player Paulína Fialková took 26th place with eight shooting mistakes and a deficit of 3: 46.8 min.

The 30-member starting field came together for the opening rifle item of the elite races, but a strong wind tore it apart. Eleven biathletes, including Fialková, shot cleanly, placing ninth less than 10 seconds behind leader Eckhoff. On the second running circuit, Slovenka moved up to eighth position, but her leadership shortage increased a bit.

It was worse on the second shot, where even more difficult weather conditions prevailed. With three mistakes in sending off the first three shots, Fialková significantly ruined the chances of a penetrating result in the competition in which Anastasia Kuzminová dominated four years ago in Pyongyang.

Eckhoff and Olsbu-Röiseland became independent. Even on the first item in the stand, the situation at the shooting range was complicated by extreme wind conditions and both Norwegians had to complete two penalty circuits. Eckhoff took much longer to shoot, and Olsbu-Röiseland was joined at the helm by Braisaz-Bouchet thanks to a clean item. Fialková passed only once and moved from the third to the 16th place.

Braisaz-Bouchet comfortably ran for gold

The medals were decided at the final fourth shooting. Braisaz-Bouchet did not hit with the first shot, but then fired quickly and especially accurately. She remained in the leading position even after one penalty round, as all five of her closest pursuers did not whiten all five targets. With a comfortable lead, Eckhoff and Olsbu-Röiseland defended silver and bronze.

Fialková added up to four inaccurate shots and fell in the standings, on the last running circuit she pulled out to at least 26th place.

In addition to the spinning wind, the miners also had problems minus 14.2 degrees Celsius. The best shot was shot by the Ukrainian Julia Džimová, who finished in seventh place with three mistakes. All three medalists ran four penalty rounds as well as the Czech Markéta Davidová in the fourth position.

I was calm

The 25-year-old Frenchwoman achieved her premiere title at top events, and was a member of the bronze relay at the 2018 Olympic Games: “I don’t realize what happened. I didn’t have a form at the beginning of the Olympics, I was slow on the track, but I dealt with it. Today I was very calm, on the first stand I thought I had good skis, that I was in good shape. mood and whatever happens. I’ve already been released on the final item. “

Olsbu-Röiseland was the second in history after compatriot Ol Einar Björndalen to win precious metal at the Olympics in all four individual competitions – she has gold from sprints and fighters, bronze from endurance races and “mass”. She also enjoyed the title in the mixed relay.

2022 Olympic Games in Beijing – Biathlon

Women’s Mass Start 12.5 km: 1. Justine Braisaz-Bouchet (Fr.) 40: 18.0 min (4th district), 2. Tiril Eckhoff +15.3 s (4), 3. Marte Olsbu-Röiseland (both Norwegian) +34 , 9 (4), 4. Markéta Davidová (ČR) +53.4 (4), 5. Kristina Rezcovová (ROC) +1: 11.0 min (6), 6. Julia Simononová (Fr.) +1: 22.6 (6), 7. Julia Džimová (UKR) +1: 25.7 (3), 8. Franziska Preussová (DEU) +1: 26.4 (4), 9. Elvira Öbergová (Sweden). ) +1: 37,7 (4), 10. Hanna Solová (BLR) +1: 39,2 (8), … 26. Paulína FIALKOVÁ (SR) +3: 46,8 (8)

• The author: © List
• Source: TASR