Biathlon: Elvira Oeberg takes silver after a fine comeback
In the relay, Elvira Oeberg has already experienced the joys of winning world medals on several occasions. In Oberhof (Germany) in 2023, the Swede won bronze with three of her team-mates, while in Nove Mesto (Czech Republic) in 2024, she won silver in the same event as well as the mixed relay.
However, in the individual category, the Scandinavian was still chasing a medal, having never finished better than eighth in the Czech pursuit last winter. Only tenth in Friday’s sprint, the 25-year-old looked set for a difficult fortnight.
Indeed, a few days before, the native of Kiruna (Sweden) had announced her withdrawal from the mixed relay because she had fallen ill and was still struggling to recover at 100%. But she is now back to full fitness.
This Sunday, in the pursuit race held in the canton of Grisons, Elvira Oeberg pulled off a superb comeback in a discipline she is particularly fond of. Having already made some incredible comebacks in recent weeks, this time the biathlete with ten World Cup victories conquered a prestigious podium.
With a solid 19/20 on the shooting range, she was able to use her excellent skiing skills to outrun Justine Braisaz-Bouchet in the very last metres of a breathless race. Second on the line behind an unplayable Franziska Preuss, Hanna’s little sister finally won her first individual world medal.
“I am very satisfiedElvira Oeberg at SVT Sport
“It’s clear that I’ve been waiting for this for a while. I know I can do it and I’ve already won medals at the Olympic Games,” she told SVT Sport. But I had a bit of a difficult time during the World Cup. And despite the illness of the last few days, it went well.
Second place was not only good for Elvira Oeberg. It’s also the Swedish team’s first World Championship medal in two long years: “I’m very satisfied and very happy with this medal,” said an emotional Elvira Oeberg in the mixed zone.
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