Norway’s Johannes Thingnes Boe dominated the IBU World Championships Men’s 10 km Sprint this afternoon, taking the lead just before the prone stage, and going unchallenged from that point to his fourth career IBU WCH Sprint Gold medal and fourteenth individual title. Boe’s 21:56.8 time topped Silver medalist Campbell Wright of the USA by 27.7 seconds.

“Amazing; one of my best sprints ever”

JT made history with his 21st overall IBU World Championships title, topping the legendary “King of Biathlon” Ole Einar Bjoerndalen’s previous mark of twenty wins. “It feels amazing. What a fantastic day; one of my best sprints ever. Getting the 21sdt victory in the World Championships to make history in my last Games here is unbelievably good.”

“I could not be happier”

The soon-to-be-retired JT credited his teammates, coaches and wax team for a fantastic day that saw three in the top six and all of his teammates finishing in the top 10.“I don’t think I could have had a more perfect competition. I think the team made perfect preparations. We had good team spirit. We trust our coaches and waxmen. Our skis today were amazing. We made a good plan; every one of the team in the top ten and me winning the Gold medal. I could not be happier.”

The 22-year-old Wright’s Silver medal, with clean shooting marked a career best and the first IBU WCH medal for the US team since Lowell Bailey won 20 km Individual Gold in 2017 at Hochfilzen. France’s Quentin Fillon Maillet, with a single prone penalty rebounded with a perfect standing and fast skiing to secure the Bronze medal, 37 seconds back.

Italy’s Tommaso Giacomel, with two penalties finished in an IBU WCH career best fourth placed, 48.1 seconds back. Norway’s martin Uldal in his first IBU WCH finished fifth, with one penalty, 54.7 seconds back, just two seconds faster than teammate Endre Stroemsheim with two penalties in sixth.

After yesterday’s tough conditions, the men had a beautiful, bluebird, sunny day with light winds for their first individual competition of these Championships.

Photos: IBU/Vianney Thibaut, Nordic Focus