Sweden got off to a flying start to the Biathlon World Cup season.
Sebastian Samuelsson and Hanna Öberg arranged a first victory in the single mixed relay in Östersund after driving Sweden from 17th place to victory.
– Fantastic fun, says Samuelsson to SVT.
Expectations for the Swedish national biathlon team, and not least the stars Sebastian Samuelsson and Hanna Öberg, are high ahead of this year’s World Cup season and the WC in Nove Mesto, Czech Republic, in February.
At the beginning of Saturday’s single mixed relay, when the men’s and women’s skaters shoot four shots each and run several laps on a course, Samuelsson swayed first with bars and extra shots. After the first of four stages and two shootings, Sweden was in 17th place. Before Samuelsson switched to Öberg who took Sweden back into the race and switched back to Samuelsson in third.
Samuelsson rose during his second leg and took Sweden up to first place. Öberg maintained the lead and kept her nerves under control during the final shooting when she shot standing next to Norwegian Juni Arnekleiv.
Öberg drove to the finish line in solitary majesty and waving to the home crowd at Östersund’s ski stadium with a smile on his face.
Norway’s Sturla Holm Lægreid and Juni Arneklev were second, 13.8 seconds behind Sweden. Third was France’s Fabien Claude and Julia Simon, another 30 seconds behind.
DAVID DEER/TT
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