19-02-2025
Perrot claims second gold at biathlon worlds, Bø no factor
Frenchman Eric Perrot claimed his second gold and third medal at the biathlon world championships on Wednesday, while Norwegian star Johannes Thingnes Bø was no factor this time around.
Perrot won the individual race over 20 kilometres with one missed target in the shooting range, the gold coming after mixed team gold and pursuit bronze last week.
Italy's Tommaso Giacomel led until the final shooting but then missed the penultimate of 20 targets and had to settle for silver, 52.4 seconds behind Perrot.
France could also celebrate a second Lenzerheide bronze for Quentin Fillon Maillet, who made the podium despite three missed targets, trailing Perrot by 1 minute 59.5 seconds.
"I just did my biathlon. I knew after the pursuit that I can fight for the victory. This is incredible," Perrot told German broadcasters ARD.
It was France's fourth gold from seven events at the championships, with five races still to come.
In the 20km athletes don't have penalty laps after mistakes in the shooting range, but one minute added to their skiing time for each missed target.
Twice reigning 20km champion Bø, who had dominated the sprint and pursuit for a record 22 career world titles, was out of contention early with three missed targets in the first session.
Retirement-bound Bø added two more to finish more than four minutes off the pace in 20th place on a bad day for Norway, with Endre Strømsheim their best in ninth.
Only two of the 97 starters shot clean on Wednesday, Finland's Olli Hiidensalo in fourth and 13th-placed Belgian Thierry Langer.
The Lenzerheide worlds continue on Thursday with the single mixed relay.
