Biathlon: the sensation Vitalii Mandzyn
This Saturday morning, for the first race of the Swedish opening biathlon races in Idre Fjäll (Sweden), we weren’t expecting this. Local stars Martin Ponsimuoma and Sebastian Samuelsson were expected to be in fine form just two weeks before the start of the 2024/2025 World Cup.
But it was Ukraine’s Vitalii Mandzyn (18/20), double world junior summer champion last August in Otepää (Estonia), who shone. Also in good form on the cross-country track, he won 44 sec 8 ahead of Jesper Nelin (16/20) and 1 min 10 sec 5 ahead of Viktor Brandt (15/20). Estonian Robert Heldna (18/20), fourth at 1 min 12 sec 6, was not far off the mark, finishing just off the podium.
You had to go all the way down to fifth place to find Sebastian Samuelsson. With 16/20, he finished 1 min 22 sec 3 behind the winner. Johan Bergman (16/20), Anton Dudchenko (16/20), Martin Ponsiluoma (16/20), Victor Berglund (14/20) and Pavel Magazeev (19/20) rounded out the top 10.
Full results
- The full programme for the Swedish opening races at Idre Fjäll
- Idre Fjäll: Hanna Oeberg and Sebastian Samuelsson win a training sprint
- Hanna Oeberg withdraws from the Swedish opening races at Idre Fjäll due to illness
