Johannes Thingnes Bö achieved a historic victory at the Biathlon World Championships, securing his 22nd title with a win in the men’s individual race and a third consecutive pursuit championship. He finished 8.6 seconds ahead of American Campbell Wright, who claimed silver, while France’s Eric Perrot took bronze. Despite the German team’s struggles, Philipp Horn showed promise with a solid performance. The championships continue with attention on Franziska Preuß as she seeks her first individual title.
Johannes Thingnes Bö’s Historic Win
On Saturday, Johannes Thingnes Bö made headlines by claiming the record in the sprint event. Just a day later, on Sunday, February 16, 2025, he added yet another world championship title to his impressive collection, solidifying his status as the most successful biathlete in the history of the championships. American athlete Campbell Wright showcased that his previous day’s performance was no mere coincidence, while the German team faced another round of disappointment.
Bö delivered another stunning display of skill and determination. In what is set to be his final world championship, the exceptional Norwegian athlete clinched his second title in the men’s individual race and became the pursuit world champion for the third consecutive time. This victory marked his 22nd world championship title overall.
A Look at the Competition
After his sprint victory, Bö was the first of 60 competitors to hit the course, starting off with a 28-second lead. Despite two shooting errors, he managed to finish with an impressive 8.6-second advantage over Campbell Wright, who secured the silver medal with just one error. The bronze medal went to France’s Eric Perrot, who finished 20.8 seconds behind Bö.
Wright expressed his satisfaction with earning his second world championship medal. Meanwhile, the German Ski Association (DSV) faced another setback. Philipp Nawrath, starting in 18th place, fell to 44th after accumulating seven errors. Philipp Horn, however, emerged as the best DSV athlete, finishing 17th with only one shooting error and improving his position significantly with the seventh-best pursuit time. Justus Strelow and Danilo Riethmüller finished in 31st and 50th places, respectively.
“Biathlon is fun,” Horn remarked after the race. Feeling frustrated after the sprint, he found this race to be a much more enjoyable experience. “Staying focused and working with concentration at the shooting range is key. Then biathlon becomes such a beautiful sport. Compared to yesterday, I felt like a different person,” he added, although he acknowledged that his 17th place in a world championship isn’t particularly rewarding.
Felix Bitterling, the DSV sports director, emphasized the need for improvement. With several errors from Nawrath and Riethmüller, they had already begun analyzing their performance. However, he believed that the team’s spirits should remain high after Franziska Preuß’s remarkable victory in the women’s pursuit. “We might just lock Franzi and the guys in a room together and see if that motivates them,” he joked.
Bö dominated the race from the start, extending his lead on the way to the first shooting. He managed to afford a mistake without losing his significant advantage. As his competitors struggled, his lead stayed steady at around half a minute. Nawrath fell back after a penalty lap, while Strelow and Horn moved up the ranks with error-free rounds. However, Riethmüller was already far behind due to multiple mistakes.
In the second prone shooting, Bö took his time, hitting all five targets and maintaining a solid lead over Wright and Tommaso Giacomel. Unfortunately, the DSV skiers couldn’t find much improvement, with Nawrath making two errors and Strelow and Horn each accumulating one. They found themselves around the 30th position with substantial time deficits. Riethmüller remained in 47th place after yet another mistake.
As the race continued, Bö and Wright both showed unwavering focus. In the first standing shooting, Bö had to take an extra lap due to one missed shot, allowing Wright to close the gap to 8.8 seconds. Sturla Holm Laegreid, Bö’s fellow Norwegian, moved into third after Giacomel made two errors. Strelow and Nawrath each made one error again, leaving Horn as the best German in 27th place, while Riethmüller struggled with additional mistakes.
Bö picked up the pace leading up to the final shooting, extending his lead to 15 seconds. With flawless shooting, his victory was all but assured. Behind him, Wright demonstrated his consistency, adding more distance between himself and the following competitors. Despite his best efforts to catch up to Bö, the Norwegian’s lead proved insurmountable.
As the Biathlon World Championships in Lenzerheide, Switzerland, unfold, all eyes are on Franziska Preuß, who is vying for her first individual title after excelling in the pursuit against top competitors like Elvira Oeberg and Justine Braisaz-Bouchet. With Johannes Thingnes Bö’s latest triumph in the sprint, the question remains: can he secure another victory in the pursuit? Stay tuned for the race recap.