Norway won the gold in a thrilling finish in the men’s 4 x 7.5 km biathlon relay on Tuesday with a time of 1:19:50.2.
The Russian Olympic Committee looked set to win the gold medal after taking the lead in the race, but Eduard Latypov missed four of his five shots to end his gold hopes.
“I am also disappointed and I ask pardon for this happening,” Latypov told reporters after the race. “We fought for gold and we couldn’t get it.” “We all wanted it and the guys did everything they could to make it happen, and it just didn’t work out for my leg.”
Latypov’s costly blunder allowed Vettel Sigstad Kristiansen to pounce and claim the win for Norway.
“It was a high pressure. It was the perfect race for me. I was completely protected or I don’t remember anything, but I got up and we won the gold,” Christiansen said.
“It didn’t look good after 50% of the race, but anything was possible at that point,” Norway’s Targe Boe said after the race.
A poor first leg match for Storla Holm-Ligrid seemed to take Norway out of the gold contender, but Latepov’s mistakes allowed for a payback.
“It was so emotional. When you think you missed the relay and gold was out of reach and you were just wishing you could give your best and when you know you’re performing at the lower level, it’s really hard — especially in the Olympics, when you disappoint your teammates,” Ligrid said.
“But when it was finally gold, I was so happy I couldn’t hold back my tears.”
With the silver medal from France, Quentin Villon-Maillet makes history as the first mathematician to win five medals in a single course. According to Beijing 2022, he is also the first Winter Olympian to win five medals in a single session since Lake Placid 1980.
The Russian Olympic Committee won the bronze medal.
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