Otepää, Estonia – Philipp Nawrath finally broke through for a podium finish at the Biathlon World Cup in Otepää on Thursday, securing third place in the men’s sprint. The 33-year-ancient German biathlete delivered a flawless shooting performance and a strong showing on the course, signaling a potential surge in form as the season progresses. This marks Nawrath’s second World Cup podium of the winter and sixth of his career.
Nawrath’s success comes after a string of near misses, where he consistently found himself just off the podium. He finished 17.8 seconds behind Norway’s Sturla Holm Laegreid, who won the race in a time of 23:28.5 with zero penalty rounds, and 10.7 seconds behind France’s Émilien Jacquelin, who also shot cleanly.
The conditions in Otepää were challenging, with heavy rain making for a slippery course. Despite this, Nawrath navigated the track effectively, posting the third-fastest course time. He strategically prioritized accuracy at the shooting range, taking his time to ensure clean shots, even if it meant sacrificing some speed. This approach proved successful, as he was the only member of the German team to avoid any shooting penalties.
“It fit perfectly,” Nawrath told Sportschau after the race. Reflecting on his recent near misses, he added, “There were often minor mistakes. I was annoyed by that. Hitting the targets was the most important thing to me today.” This was only the second time this season that Nawrath completed a race without any shooting errors.
The German team, however, didn’t enjoy the same success as Nawrath. Philipp Horn finished 26th, hampered by three penalty rounds, and expressed his frustration with his shooting performance. “What annoys me most is my performance at the shooting range. Two errors standing – that’s not what I’m capable of. I’m lacking self-assurance right now,” he said.
Leonhard Pfund (34th place, 2 shooting errors), Justus Strelow (41st, 1 error), Lucas Fratzscher (49th, 2 errors), and David Zobel (60th, 1 error) also qualified for Saturday’s pursuit race.
Strelow, returning to competition after recovering from a broken finger, acknowledged he still has work to do. “One mistake was certainly not optimal, but I’m just glad I got through the race with my history quite solidly. There’s still a little missing here and there,” he commented.
Nawrath’s strong performance is particularly encouraging after a disappointing Olympic Winter Games for the German team. He showed no lingering effects from that experience, demonstrating his resilience and focus. “I still have good conditions at home to train, so I took that with me and it’s fun – that suited me well,” Nawrath explained to ARD.
Prior to Otepää, Nawrath had already shown promising form at the World Cup in Kontiolahti, Finland, finishing fifth and seventh in the previous week’s competitions.
The men’s biathlon pursuit race in Otepää is scheduled for Saturday at 13:30 local time (12:30 UTC). Nawrath will start with an 18-second deficit to Laegreid, setting the stage for an exciting competition. Fans can watch the race live on ARD and Eurosport.
This podium finish provides a significant boost for Nawrath as the biathlon season heads towards its conclusion. His ability to combine accurate shooting with strong skiing positions him as a contender for further success in the remaining World Cup events.
