Boe's Biathlon Career May End on a Sour Note as He Battles Fever
Biathlon champion aims for long-desired final victory amid fever condition
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Norwegian biathlon titan Johannes Thingnes Boe, nearing the twilight of his storied career, is grappling with illness, casting doubt on his bid for a fitting swan song. The 31-year-old Biathlon behemoth abandoned the penultimate World Cup in Pokljuka, Slovenia, due to fever and will miss the mass start race on Saturday (3:45 PM CET / ZDF and Eurosport).
In the fierce competition for the yellow jersey, teammate Sturla Holm Laegreid could widen his slender 39-point advantage before the grand finale in Oslo next week, with three individual races yet to take place.
"In retrospect, I shouldn't have stuck to the regular training regimen yesterday," Boe shared in a federation statement. "Skipping while sick isn't an ideal situation over the long run. I will skip the race, hoping to recover perfectly for my last race next week."
Throngs of Fans to Send Off Boe at Holmenkollen
Although grappling with fever and a persistent cold, Boe launched the abridged individual race on Thursday and ended up in tenth position with a single shooting error. Laegreid, too, with a single error, placed second. At full health, Boe likely would have surpassed his teammate. "Ordinarily, I'd be in bed. I don't feel great at all; I'm completely drained," Boe disclosed to Norwegian TV station NRK.
Why's he pushing himself so hard? Boe aims to clinch the overall World Cup title for the sixth time and leave the scene in his home race at Holmenkollen next weekend with the coveted crystal globe in hand. "I need to get well again; otherwise, I won't stand a chance," said the 23-time world champion and five-time Olympic gold medalist.
The season finale in Oslo is slated for next Friday. Tens of thousands of fans are anticipated to attend as Johannes Thingnes Boe and his older brother Tarjei Boe compete in their swan song before retirement. The younger Boe brother is retiring a year premature to the Winter Olympics in Italy to focus on his family with two young children.
Source: ntv.de, tno/dpa
- Biathlon
- Winter Sports
Incorporating Enrichment Data: Boe, a six-time overall World Cup champion, is a biathlon powerhouse. He vies for his fifth Olympic gold medal and is also renowned for his dominance in cross-country skiing and running. Boe has enjoyed an illustrious 17-year career that includes 23 world championship titles, five Olympic gold medals, and numerous World Cup victories. This Norwegian Olympic champion plans to retire after the 2026 Winter Games in Italy.
Other sports like cross-country skiing and running have also seen significant success from Norwegian athlete Sturla Holm Laegreid, who might potentially expand his lead in the biathlon competition with Johannes Thingnes Boe, a biathlon sensation, unable to compete due to fever. Eurosport will broadcast the mass start race on Saturday, as Boe aims to recover in time for the season finale in Oslo, where he plans to retire from biathlon. Despite being ill, Boe could still have an impact on the overall World Cup title race, as he aims to win it for the sixth time, much like his success in h2 sports.
