Athletes of Norway pose for photos during the flower ceremony after biathlon men's 4x7.5km relay at National Biathlon Centre in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 15, 2022. (Xinhua/Peng Ziyang)
CHONGLI, Zhangjiakou, Feb. 15 (Xinhua) -- Norway upgraded its silver from PyeongChang 2018 to gold after winning the men's relay 4x7.5km at the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games here on Tuesday.
Comprising Sturla Holm Laegreid, Vetle Sjaastad Christiansen, Tarjei Boe and Johannes Thingnes Boe, Norway clocked a winning time of one hour, 19 minutes and 50.2 seconds.
Norway ranked only seventh after the first leg, but they caught up later. The anchor leg Christiansen's perfect shooting allowed the Norwegian with one penalty and seven spare rounds to overtake the ROC.
"It was such high pressure. It was the perfect race for me," Christiansen said after helping his team come from behind to win gold.
France had to settle for second place, 27.4 seconds adrift of Norway.
The silver medal gave Quentin Fillon Maillet his fifth medal of these Games, an all-time French record as well as becoming the first-ever biathlete to win five medals in a single Olympic Winter Games.
"It's different because we share all of this with the team, the physio, the coach, the technician and everyone else. It's very good because it's a gift for everyone," Fillon Maillet said of this silver medal compared with the other four.
The early leader Russian Olympic Committee, with two penalty loops in the anchor leg, took the bronze 45.3 seconds behind the winner.
After using up all three spare rounds, ROC's anchor leg Eduard Latypov picked up two penalty loops, which let their almost one-minute lead fade away.
"I am also disappointed and I ask for forgiveness that this happened. The competition is very high and biathlon is an unpredictable sport where everything can happen. Everything can turn around in one shooting bout. I hope that this will make me stronger. I hope for it and I believe in it," said Latypov, winner of three bronze medals at Beijing 2022.
China finished 16th, 6:37.3 back. ■
Vetle Sjaastad Christiansen (1st L) of Norway competes during biathlon men's 4x7.5km relay at National Biathlon Centre in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 15, 2022. (Xinhua/Jiang Hongjing)
Martin Ponsiluoma of Sweden competes during biathlon men's 4x7.5km relay at National Biathlon Centre in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 15, 2022. (Xinhua/Peng Ziyang)
Simon Desthieux of France competes during biathlon men's 4x7.5km relay at National Biathlon Centre in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 15, 2022. (Xinhua/Peng Ziyang)
Yan Xingyuan (C) of China competes during biathlon men's 4x7.5km relay at National Biathlon Centre in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 15, 2022. (Xinhua/Peng Ziyang)
