Biathlon: Ingrid Landmark Tandrevold wins again more than a year after her last success
On 1 March, on home soil on the slopes ofOslo-Holmenkollen (Norway), Ingrid Landmark Tandrevold won the Biathlon World Cup in a head-and-shoulders individual race. Since then, the Norwegian has not enjoyed the same success.
Deprived of the big crystal globe at the end of the season, when she saw Lisa Vittozzi steal the world number one spot from her in the final moments of the 2023/2024 season, the Scandinavian then piled up a series of poor performances on the circuit. Running out of form, she even took the opportunity to undergo surgery in December.
The 28-year-old biathlete had been experiencing heart pains and an abnormally high pulse rate during the first few races of the season, so she took the time to treat herself by skipping the Grand-Bornand stage (Haute-Savoie).
Back in competition since then, Ingrid Landmark Tandrevold had not managed to do better than a distant fifteenth place in the sprint and pursuit in Oberhof (Germany) last January. But on Friday night in Nove Mesto (Czech Republic), the native of Bærum (Norway) rediscovered her superb form on the Czech track.
Supersonic on her skis , with the second fastest time of the day behind Anamarija Lampic, the Norwegian lined up all the parameters she needed to win with a perfect 10/10. She then allowed just a few seconds to elude her on the final lap of the day. Her loss of time was of no consequence, as she crossed the finish line just 15 seconds ahead of France’s Justine Braisaz-Bouchet.
“It’s quite movingIngrid Landmark Tandrevold at NRK
It’s a symbolic success that the Scandinavian has been waiting to achieve for many months now: “It’s quite moving. It’s been a very difficult season for me, and for a while, I wasn’t sure I’d be able to continue in biathlon,” she confided, still visibly moved, to the NRK radio station.
Emil Hegle Svendsen, who retired in 2018 and is now a consultant for the Norwegian TV channel, was quick to praise the performance. “It was incredible to watch. She led almost the whole race and scored a super 10/10,” he enthused. She was really on top.
“I think it was difficult to find my rhythm again. Hearing that I wasn’t able to take over the legacy of Tiril [Eckhoff, editor’s note] and Marte [Olsbu Roeiseland, editor’s note] didn’t help,” she admits. I really tried to work as hard as I could.
“I don’t want to be afraid of failure any more”.Ingrid Landmark Tandrevold at NRK
After the Worlds, Ingrid Landmark Tandrevold took the time to clear her head and start afresh: “I’ve decided that I’m going to do everything I can to win. I don’t want to be afraid of failure any more,” she adds. I’ve got nothing to lose, so I’ve decided that I’m just going to enjoy it.
Read also
- Nove Mesto: Ingrid Landmark Tandrevold impresses by dominating the sprint ahead of Justine Braisaz-Bouchet and Julia Simon, Lou Jeanmonnot fourth
- Le Grand-Bornand: Ingrid Landmark Tandrevold “very sad” to have to pull out of the French leg of the World Cup
- Ingrid Landmark Tandrevold gives news after her operation
- “Sometimes you just have to let go”: Ingrid Landmark Tandrevold, who struggled at the World Championships in Lenzerheide, broke down in tears after the sprint.
