As of: February 10, 2024, 7:18 a.m
By: Joshua Eibl
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The start of the Biathlon World Championships in Nove Mesto ends in drama for the Italian mixed relay team led by Dorothea Wierer.
Instead of a hoped-for medal, several team members burst into tears.
Nove Mesto - The start of the Biathlon World Cup was a drama not only for the German team - there was also frustration and tears in Nove Mesto for the Italian team with superstar Dorothea Wierer.
Biathlon World Cup: Mixed relay ends in fiasco for Italy
Superstar Wierer had to give up her medal hopes early on in the mixed relay: the first runner, Didier Bionaz, revealed problems at the shooting range.
In the standing position he had to survive two penalty laps with six spare rounds.
Things didn't really go any better for Tommaso Giacomel either, with a penalty loop for four spare rounds, so the women couldn't do anything.
Although Wierer (2 spares) and Lisa Vittozzi (3) delivered a solid race, they were unable to shorten the gap.
Italy ended up in tenth place.
Dorothea Wierer is experiencing a difficult season.
© IMAGO/Anders Wiklund/TT
Biathlon World Cup: “I saw him cry”
The young starting runner Bionaz in particular was hard to calm down afterwards.
This affected his teammate so much that he burst into tears in front of the TV camera.
“It was a tough day for us, especially for Didier.
I was just in the locker room and saw him crying.
He is like a brother to me.
Seeing him like that was terrible,” emphasized Giacomel, his voice cracking, in an interview with the Norwegian broadcaster NRK.
“I hugged him and said: It's just biathlon, it's not everything in life.
Today was a difficult day, but we will bounce back.”
Biathlon superstar with encouraging words
With such a setback, the team needs the leadership of their superstar.
Wierer, who was crowned the first Italian biathlon world champion in 2019, could understand the sadness of her two 23-year-old teammates.
“Of course they are very sad, but they are still very young and still have a good ten years and many world championships ahead of them,” she said of Bionaz and Giacomel.
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The victory and the first gold medal went to the French team with Quentin Fillon Maillet, Justine Braisaz-Bouchet, Eric Perrot and Julia Simon.
Top favorite Norway took second place, followed by Sweden.
The German team ended up in 5th place after Franziska Preuß' missed shot drama. (
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