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Para Biathlon World Championships 2024 – Day 1 & 2

Mar 08, 2024·Para Cross-Country
Mark Arendz (CAN) and Benjamin Daviet (FRA) © Kelly Bergman / Caledonia Nordic Ski Club
Mark Arendz (CAN) and Benjamin Daviet (FRA) © Kelly Bergman / Caledonia Nordic Ski Club

WILKIE AND LIASHENKO TIE FOR 7.5K SPRINT GOLD

On the first day of the 2024 Para Biathlon World Championships, there was a rare tie for first place. Ukrainian Liudmyla Liashenko and Canadian Natalie Wilkie both landed on the top spot of the women’s standing podium. Despite having to do a penalty lap, Liashenko still managed to cross the finish line in the same amount of time as Wilkie, 24 minutes and 11.3 seconds. Wilkie's teammate Brittany Hudak rounded out the podium in third place.

Honestly it was even better than winning first by myself. Liudmyla is a crazy competitor, I know that she always does her best out on the course, and she’s also a really fast shooter and so it was quite an honour for me to be able to share the first place with her.Natalie Wilkie (CAN)
Natalie Wilkie (CAN), Liudmyla Liaschenko (UKR) and Brittany Hudak (CAN) on the podium
Natalie Wilkie (CAN), Liudmyla Liaschenko (UKR) and Brittany Hudak (CAN)

To start the day, American Oksana Masters won her fourth consecutive world championship medal. The day of 7.5km sprint races started with the women’s sitting category. Masters’ marksmanship was flawless, and she crossed the finish line in 27 minutes and 30.6 seconds. Anja Wicker claimed second spot on the podium with a time of 27 minutes and 32.7 seconds. Like Masters, the German also made no mistakes in her shooting. Rounding out the podium was Masters’ teammate Kendall Gretsch.

In the men’s sitting race, China’s Zixu Liu won gold with a time of 24 minutes and 45 seconds. His victory was aided by his accurate shooting on the rifle range, taking no penalty laps. Behind Liu on the podium was Ukraine’s Taras Rad, followed by China’s Mengtao Liu.

The men’s standing competition also saw a Canadian at the top spot on the podium – Mark Arendez. He finished the 7.5km sprint in 21 minutes and 5.5 seconds, despite having to complete a penalty lap after his first visit to the rifle range. In second was Ukranian Serhii Romaniuk, followed by German Marco Maier in third.

To end off the day, the vision impaired class of athletes took to the course. The women’s sprint saw the Germans dominate, with all three reaching the podium. Linn Kazmaier took top spot, with a time of 24 minutes and 50.8 seconds, including one penalty loop. Leonie Maria Walter finished in second place, followed by Johanna Recktenwald.

Linn Kazmaier (GER) shooting during the 7.5km biathlon sprint race
Linn Kazmaier (GER)

The final race of the day saw Ukranian Oleksandr Kazik win the gold medal for the men’s vision impaired category. Even though Kazik had to complete two penalty loops after his second time at the rifle range, he managed to cross the finish line in 21 minutes and 27 seconds. Frenchman Anthony Chalençon won the silver medal and Ukrainian Iaroslav Reshetynskyi rounded out the podium in third place.

ARENDZ, LIASHENKO AND KAZMAIER DOUBLE THE GOLD IN PRINCE GEORGE

Day two of the 2024 Para Biathlon World Championships saw athletes compete in the 12.5km individual competition, with three athletes winning gold for a second consecutive day. The first to do so was Canadian Mark Arendz in the men’s standing category.

Oh it feels fantastic. Some of those mistakes from yesterday I kind of corrected, really focused on and I just felt more relaxed, you know. That first one was out of the way, I could now just be myself and use my strengths throughout the race and come home with a second gold medal.Mark Arendz (CAN)

While he missed one target during the first competition, he was excellent in his marksmanship at the shooting range during the 12.5km race, with no missed targets.

On the men’s standing podium alongside Arendz was Frenchman Benjamin Daviet in second, and Grygorii Vovchynskyi (UKR) in third. 

Benjamin Daviet (FRA), Mark Arendz (CAN) and Grygorii Vovchynskyi (UKR) during the medals ceremony of the 12.5km biathlon race
Benjamin Daviet (FRA), Mark Arendz (CAN) and Grygorii Vovchynskyi (UKR)

In the women’s standing class, Ukrainian Liudmyla Liashenko made her second trip of the world championships to the top of the podium, this time alone. Natalie Wilkie (CAN) also landed on the podium today, this time in third place. The silver medal was claimed by Zhiqing Zhao of China.

The women’s sitting category saw Americans Oksana Masters and Kendall Gretsch on the podium for a second straight day. This time though, Gretsch was the one who won the event. She made no errors in her shooting, while Masters had one missed target.

I think I felt a lot better today. A little bit warmer, which is a lot better, but yeah, it was just one of those days in biathlon where like the skiing and the shooting all fit together. So yeah, I was really happy with my race today.Kendall Gretsch (USA)

Rounding out the podium was Korea’s Yunji Kim.

Oksana Masters (USA), Kendall Gretsch (USA) and Yunji Kim (KOR)
Oksana Masters (USA), Kendall Gretsch (USA) and Yunji Kim (KOR)

To cap off the day, the vision impaired athletes hit the course with their guides. France’s Anthony Chalençon and guide Florian Michelon improved upon yesterday’s silver medal by winning today’s event. They were joined on the podium by Ukrainians Iaroslav Reshetynskyi and guide Dmytro Drahun in second, and Oleksandr Kazik with guide Serhii Kucheriavyi.

Linn Kazmaier and guide Florian Baumann claimed top spot on the podium again in the women’s category. Kazmaier improved in her shooting, with no missed targets compared to missing one target the day before. Germany’s Leonie Maria Walter and guide Christian Krasman won a second consecutive silver medal. Finishing the podium was Ukraine’s Nataliia Tkachenko with guide Ivan Marchyshak. 

Competitions will resume on Saturday with the sprint pursuit.

Text retrieved from IBU