Franziska Preuß’s quest for a World Cup medal in the mass start ended in disappointment, hampered by subpar skis and a crucial final shooting error. The podium was claimed by a trio of athletes who made history.
Biathlete Franziska Preuß, despite a stellar World Cup season, fell short of a medal in the Lenzerheide mass start. The 30-year-old, who had previously claimed four medals, finished seventh, a stark contrast to her previous successes. Her skis proved to be a critically important factor in her performance.
“The first round just stuck the ski. It was just a fight, it was so blunt, it was no fun,” Preuß lamented to ARD. Her disappointment was palpable: “I know I can do more.But everything has to go together, and today a few set screws didn’t fit together.”
After 12.5 kilometers, Preuß trailed the new world champion, Elvira Öberg, by a significant 36.1 seconds. Öberg, with two shooting errors, secured the gold, edging out Océane Michelon of France (three errors) by 9.4 seconds. Maren Kirkeeide of norway (three errors) claimed the bronze, finishing 16.5 seconds behind Öberg, in front of 13,500 spectators in the Roland Arena.This victory marked a career high for all three athletes.
Preuß’s World Cup Season: A Triumph
Despite the setback, Preuß’s World Cup season in Switzerland was undeniably successful. She secured gold in the pursuit, silver in the sprint, and bronze in the mixed relay and individual mixed events. Though, the women’s relay on Saturday proved less fruitful, with her team finishing fifth.
Preuß maintained a flawless shooting record until the final round,while competitors around her accumulated errors. A missed shot in the final round proved decisive, ultimately denying her a podium finish.
Julia Tannheimer, the 19-year-old with three shooting errors, finished a respectable 15th.
LWÖ/dpa
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