Para biathlon: Karl Tabouret just off the podium at the World Championships
And the pupil surpassed the master. Several months ago, when Nordic Magazine spoke to Karl Tabouret, the French Nordic para-skier aged just over 20 explained that his elder brother Benjamin Daviet was his role model. A multiple Paralympic and world champion,the Bornandin took his young compatriot under his wing.
A year and a half later, Karl Tabouret is blossoming at the highest international level. After several winters of finding his feet and working his way up, the Frenchman has just finished fourth in the sprint at the para biathlon world championships in Pokljuka (Slovenia). A remarkable performance – achieved just a few days after his first podium in the para cross-country skiing world cup – made possible by a 10/10 on the mats, something his coach Anaïs Bescond must be very proud of.
Also very fast on cross-country skis, Karl Tabouret unfortunately missed out on a place on the podium… by 0 sec 9 to China’s Liu Xiaobin (9/10), who had a suntan after an exceptional final loop. The Frenchman may not have won a medal this Thursday lunchtime, but he has definitely entered the big league by beating several legends of his discipline.
Marks Arendz and Natalie Wilkie stronger than anyone else
It was Canadian favourite Mark Arendz (9/10) who took the title, 1 sec 2 ahead of Germany’s Marco Maier (10/10). Benjamin Daviet (9/10) took fourth place.
The women’s gold medal also went to Canada as Natalie Wilkie (10/10), after a supersonic last lap of cross-country skiing, beat China’s Zhao Zhiqing (10/10) by 3 sec 1 and Ukraine’s Oleksandra Kononova (9/10) by 14 sec 6.
The Americans win the sitting title
Earlier in the morning, in the seated category, American Aaron Pike won the gold medal in the men’s race with a 10/10. China’s Wang Tao (10/10) was silver at 9 sec 4 and Kazakhstan’s Yerbol Khamitov (10/10) was bronze at 10 sec 3.
In the process, her compatriot Kendall Gretsch (10/10), a cut above the rest, also won this World Championship sprint. A mistake by her German rival Anja Wicker (9/10) in the second shot allowed her to pull ahead and take the title with a margin of 35 sec 3. Bronze went to South Korea’s Kim Yunji (9/10).
Full results
Standing
Men
Ladies
Sitting
Men
Ladies
- The full programme for the Pokljuka 2025 World Championships
- The French selection for the world championships in Pokljuka, Toblach and Trondheim
- “I don’t need much more to play up front”: Benjamin Daviet prepared for the Pokljuka World Championships at the Val di Fiemme World Cup.
- Pokljuka World Championships: Anthony Chalençon and his guide Florian Michelon take silver in the sprint
