Norwegian skier Johannes Thingnes Boe was in top form on Friday to win the men’s 15 kilometre mass start event and earn his fourth biathlon gold medal of Beijing 2022. (18 February).
Johannes Thingnes Boe 2022 Winter Olympics
Four out of eight targets were missed by Boe across the four shooting phases (two prone and two standing), but the fast-skiing Norwegian didn’t let that slow him down. In a comfortable 38 minutes and 14.4 seconds, he crossed the finish line to win his sixth medal of the Games.
Martin Ponsiluoma of Sweden came in 40 seconds later with a time of 38:54.7, while Vetle Sjaastad Christiansen of Norway took third with a time of 39:26.9.
With his three golds in the 10 kilometre sprint, the men’s 4 x 7.5 kilometre relay, and the mixed relay 4 x 6 kilometre, and his bronze in the men’s 20 kilometre individual event, Boe retires from these Olympic Winter Games with five medals in six events. The 28-year-old added three medals to his collection in PyeongChang 2018: one gold and two silver.
“Five Medals From Six Races, and Four of them Gold?
That’s incredible. Furthermore, this is Norway’s 15th gold medal of these Olympics. That’s never been done before, therefore it’s a historic day for the entire country “Boe described his thoughts when he finished the race.
“It’s very significant to me. There is no way to know how the Olympic Games will go in advance. The last few years have been incredible for me as a biathlete, but the Olympics are what truly count, and I’m thrilled to have performed at the peak of my abilities in Rio. I’m a lot less stressed out now.”
After leading the pack into the first prone stage, Boe and the Frenchman Quentin Fillon Maillet each dropped back after missing a target. They recovered on the long-distance course and were among the leaders in the second prone position.
In an attempt to win a sixth medal at the Games, Fillon Maillet squandered a golden opportunity and wound up with a disappointing fourth place finish instead.
Although Boe missed one target on the first standing stage and two on the second, he maintained his lead and went on to win the race.
Outcome of the Men’s 15-Kilometer Mass Start:
- Time: 38:14.4 by Norway’s Johannes Thingnes Boe
- Runner-up: Swedish man Martin Ponsiluoma (38:54.7).
- Time: 39:26.9 by Vetle Sjaastad Christiansen (NOR).
