Laura Dahlmeier did what very few have been able to accomplished to make it happen at the Alpensia Biathlon Centre Monday night. The German who won the women’s sprint held her position in the 10km pursuit to win a second gold medal at the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics. Slovakia’s Anastasiya Kuzmina beat French biathlete Anais Bescond who won the bronze.
The pursuit had the Dahlmeier staring first with the rest of the pack taking off at different times from when they finished the previous event. It would take a lot of focus to complete five two-kilometer laps with four stops at the shooting range where missing any could cost whoever started early big. Darya Domracheva of Belarus won the event in Sochi and started ninth in the pursuit. Kuzmina who won the event twice in 2010 and 2014 would also stand as a threat
A lot of pressure sat on the German who didn’t miss a shot on Saturday didn’t miss again. Domracheva took her time as did Kuzmina and Vitkova who left the range perfectly. At the 3km mark, Dahlmeier had a 17 second lead but it soon began to dissipate as the distance extended. In the second prone position, the German took her time once more but missed one along with Kuzmina. Domracheva and Vitkova missed as well but somehow kept in the top ten where they began the race with two fifths of it done.
Kuzmina and Dahlmeier were running together after 15 minutes with the Slovakian taking point prior to the five-kilometer mark. With the two over 24 seconds ahead of the rest, coming into the third position to stand for it would determine if they would continue to fire well. Dahlmeier came out perfect with the Slovakian missing twice that opened the gap wide. By the time the German made the 6.9 kilometer mark, she had 36 seconds on Kuzmina. Vitkova was clean but well behind along with Domracheva who missed one again and down over a minute and a half.
Dahlmeier returned for the final time to get the job done and move out for one more lap. Standing in the shooting range all alone, the 24 year old nailed it all taking off just as Kuzmina arrived to fire. The Slovakian missed one that just about secured the gold medal for the German who would be the first to defend her start as Kuzmina did in Vancouver. Bescond finished perfectly in the range to take third place skiing very close to Kuzmina. Domracheva missed four that would assure her of not being a repeat medalist.
With the gold medal secured, Dahmeirer took the gold medal easily with Kuzmina skiing stride for stride with Bescond in the final lap. When they came down the home stretch, it was the Slovakian who had some gas left to beat her at the line to win by two tenths of a second to secure the silver medal. Domracheva ultimately had her worst performance finishing 37th.
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