Biathlon: German Duo Falls Short in Single-Mixed Relay - Swedes Triumph
Germany's Hanna Kebinger and Justus Strelow failed to claim a podium spot in the opening biathlon event of the 2023-24 season's World Cup, finishing seventh in the single-mixed relay at Östersund.
Kebinger held a strong third place position following an impressive display in the final shooting round. However, she required two reloads and faced minor loading issues, allowing her competitors to seal the advantage. Losing momentum on the final lap, she eventually surrendered her position with a 1-minute gap separating her from the victorious Swedish team.
Sweden's Hanna Öberg and Sebastian Samuelsson emerged as the event winners, celebrated by an enthusiastic home crowd. Second place went to Norway's Sturla Holm Laegreid and Juni Arnekleiv (+13.8 seconds), before French athletes Julia Simon and Fabien Claude (+42.2 seconds) secured third place, despite two penalty laps.
Strelow (26 years old) had a promising start, achieving two clean shooting rounds that put the German team in the lead alongside Austria. Despite Kebinger's setbacks, Strelow's reliability and flawless shooting performance kept the team vying for a spot on the podium. Regrettably, Kebinger's struggle with seven extra cartridges proved decisive.
Post-race, Kebinger acknowledged her shooting errors, while praising Strelow's performance: "I had a few shooting issues, and I can't blame Justus for my struggles. He put in a tremendous effort, but unfortunately, it wasn't enough today." Strelow, on the other hand, was proud of his efforts: "I had a decent start to the season, and I'm content. However, I would've loved to see us finish on the podium."
Just hours before the event, the German Ski Association (DSV) announced the absence of veteran Benedikt Doll (33) due to a precautionary "infection symptom." He is expected to take part in the 20-kilometer individual race on Sunday. Doll will be replaced by Philipp Nawrath (30).
Enduring cold temperatures of minus ten degrees Celsius, the biathlon World Cup delivered fascinating winter sports excitement, with Strelow and Kebinger contributing to the single-mixed relay.
With Strelow's successful shooting sessions, occupying second position in their division, and Kebinger's shooting difficulties, resulting in four reloads, the German duo continued to compete in the thrilling 2023-24 Biathlon World Cup – Stage 1 mixed relay.
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Enrichment Data:
- The single-mixed relay event in Östersund marked the beginning of the 2023-24 Biathlon World Cup – Stage 1.
- The Swedish team of Ella Halvarsson and Sebastian Samuelsson emerged victorious, using only 2 extra spares each.
- French team members Julia Simon and Quentin Fillon Maillet finished in second place, utilizing 9 spare rounds.
- Germany's original team for the single-mixed relay included Vanessa Voigt and Justus Strelow, who later took part in the relay events. Notably, Johanna Puff, not Kebinger, provided an outstanding performance with just 1 spare in her World Cup relay debut.
