Biathlonworld: 15 years after your Olympic Sprint Bronze medal. did you ever think back then that you would still be fighting for the podium in 2025?

Jakov Fak: No, to be honest. If you ask me now, it seems normal but back then I would say that I would be retired before now. Now I am here and happy to be in the mix.

BW: What is your best memory of that life-changing day?

JF: The biggest memory was that I was reading the Bible on the way to the stadium. I knew it was going to snow; it was snowing a lot when I came into the finish, so there was something special that happened somewhere else. (Medalists started with 6,10, and 4, all finishing before the heaviest snowfall slowed the tracks). It was a good performance, a dream come true. I thought, ‘How could this happen so fast? I am quite young and this already happened.’ I thought I would have to do a lot more work before I could get to that level, to get a medal.

BW: After the clean WCH sprint, what was your focus in the pursuit?

JF: Actually, I did not feel the best today but yesterday was even worse. I started to lose power during the race; something strange happened and hoped I would feel better. I compared myself against Tarjei who started a minute after me. I saw him at one place on the track. I knew if I did not see him on the next loop, I was doing fine, but he had a penalty and finished in front of me. I was disappointed in myself, thinking I could not push 3 seconds faster in each loop and finish in the top six. I gave my maximum yesterday and was not so confident in the pursuit but decided to see how my skis go and adapt to the situation. I had similar skis to Tarjei today so I felt pretty good about that, even though the French team had much better skis.

BW: Nice to be sixth, but what you have been happier if you held off Quentin in the last lap?

JF: Of course, we were in the same position after the jury decision. I was quite satisfied because I got left behind on the last uphill by Quentin and Endre (Stroemsheim). I said I would not give up until the end and try to push. When I started to close the gap, I said I would continue pushing to the finish and see what happens. I had nothing to lose, but only gain, which I did. I do not think Endre was prepared to see me next to him!