Olympics-Biathlon-Flawless Fillon Maillet wins pursuit gold for France

By Philip O’Connor

ZHANGJIAKOU, China (Reuters) -Quentin Fillon Maillet of France produced an excellent show of capturing, hitting all 20 pictures in robust situations to take the gold medal in an exhilarating Olympic 12.5 km pursuit race on Sunday.

Norway’s Tarjei Boe had a single miss as he took silver and Eduard Latypov, representing the Russian Olympic Committee, took bronze as Tarjei’s brother Johannes skilled a nightmare on the vary, lacking the goal seven instances and failing to make the rostrum.

Italy’s Lukas Hofer additionally shot completely however he couldn’t match the facility of the opposite entrance runners on a heavy, sluggish snowboarding course that positioned big calls for on the rivals, ultimately ending fourth.

Circumstances couldn’t have been worse, with swirling winds sending thick snow driving virtually horizontally throughout the monitor and buffeting the capturing vary, however Johannes Boe appeared unbothered, beginning first and capturing clear on his first go to earlier than rushing off once more.

Maillet’s capturing didn’t get off to an ideal begin as he struggled together with his rifle, slamming it in fury with the heel of his hand earlier than capturing clear and rejoining the fray 21.7 seconds after Johannes Boe.

The youthful Boe blew it on the third shoot, lacking together with his first three bullets to incur three penalty laps as Maillet shot clear and rushed out within the lead, 10 seconds forward of Russian Latypov.

One other excellent five-shot salvo at his ultimate shoot secured the Frenchman’s second gold of the Video games, following his victory within the particular person race.

After successful his first particular person medal on Friday with bronze within the dash, Boe Tarjei added a welcome silver within the pursuit, ending 28.6 seconds behind Maillet however simply holding off Latypov to take second place.

With no medals available, his youthful brother coasted residence to a disappointing fifth place, 2:13.7 after Maillet, however by that point the Frenchman was already celebrating.

(Reporting by Mitch Phillips, enhancing by Ken Ferris and Ed Osmond)