In a surprising outcome at the Oslo Pursuit on March 22, 2025, Sturla Holm Laegreid defeated Johannes Thingnes Bö, ending Bö’s hopes of retiring as the overall champion. Laegreid’s flawless shooting earned him victory, finishing 15.5 seconds ahead of Bö, who struggled with three errors. The German team faced disappointment, with no athletes avoiding mistakes, while Laegreid celebrated his triumph and Bö aimed for one last podium finish before his retirement.
Laegreid Stuns Bö in Oslo Pursuit
In a stunning turn of events, Johannes Thingnes Bö will not retire as the overall champion. His fellow countryman, Sturla Holm Laegreid, dashed his hopes for a grand farewell victory during the competition held on March 22, 2025.
Bö had envisioned concluding his illustrious biathlon career with the overall title, but that dream came to an abrupt end as Laegreid clinched both the pursuit victory in Oslo and the coveted crystal globe. With a flawless shooting performance, Laegreid finished 15.5 seconds ahead of Bö, who faced three shooting errors, and 23.9 seconds before France’s Quentin Fillon Maillet, who made just one mistake.
“He is currently the best,” Bö acknowledged, praising his teammate during the post-race commentary. Looking ahead to Sunday, he expressed his determination, stating, “I want to be on the podium one more time. I will give 100 percent, and then everyone will laugh, and there will be a big celebration.” The 31-year-old star, who is set to retire, reflected on life beyond biathlon, admitting he would truly grasp it in the summer when training is no longer part of his routine.
German Team Struggles Continue
While the clash between Bö and Laegreid provided an exhilarating spectacle, the German skijagers faced yet another disappointing outing. None of the German athletes managed to finish without errors, with Philipp Nawrath only just breaking into the top ten.
The pursuit race felt reminiscent of a Norwegian championship, as the first five competitors were all from Norway. Italy’s Tomasso Giacomel was the first non-Norwegian to join the pursuit, about a minute into the race.
On the course, Bö, who had won the sprint, pushed hard and quickly extended his lead to 33 seconds within the first kilometer. However, a mistake during his first shooting round was something he could momentarily overlook. Even with a penalty lap, Bö returned to the course first, but his lead diminished to a mere 8.1 seconds over Laegreid.
As the race progressed, Bö’s shooting struggles continued. While he made another mistake in the second shooting round, Laegreid maintained his composure and shot cleanly, taking the lead with a 14-second advantage over Bö.
With both competitors arriving at the final shooting station together, the atmosphere was electric. Laegreid remained unfazed, clearing all targets once again, while Bö faltered with a missed shot. Laegreid celebrated his victory lap, while Bö secured second place comfortably.
For the German team, the performance was lackluster, with Nawrath finishing as the top athlete in tenth place. The recurring theme of missed shots plagued the team, preventing any chance to challenge for the top spots. Justus Strelow (16th/+2:35.8 minutes/2 mistakes), Roman Rees (19th/+2:44.6 min/3), Johannes Kühn (26th/+3:13.1/5), Philipp Horn (30th/+3:22.3/4), Simon Kaiser (43rd/+4:06.0/4), and David Zobel (48th/+4:42.9/5) all witnessed the thrilling duel unfold from a distance.