Biathlon: a cruel scenario for Lena Haecki-Gross
Friday afternoon saw the start of the individual events at the Biathlon World Championships in Lenzerheide (Switzerland) with the women’s sprint. In a race dominated by Justine Braisaz-Bouchet, Lena Haecki-Gross came very close to winning Switzerland’s first international biathlon medal.
Starting with the number 34 bib and encouraged by her fans, the Swiss skier had a perfect race with a 10/10 in the shooting despite difficult conditions with snow and wind. Third in the event until Justine Braisaz-Bouchet‘s victorious finish, Lena Haecki-Gross was just one second and 4 tenths behind the podium and Finland’s Suvi Minkkinen.
The result was all the more galling given that she was just 1 second and 6 tenths off the silver medal won by Germany’s Franziska Preuss. ” It‘ s a sweet and bitter feeling at the same time. It was the best I could do today and yet it’s difficult to be so close to a place on the podium,” she told the SRF cameras in the mixed zone. There’s also the pursuit, the individual and the mass start. I’m a fighter and I’m not going to give up. It’s extremely good for my confidence.
Starting on Sunday, Lena Haecki-Gross will be aiming to win her first world medal in the pursuit, where she will be more than ever in touch with the podium.
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