Biathlon World Cup: Lukas Hofer takes bronze

Lukas Hofer couldn't have chosen a more important race for his first podium finish in the World Cup. In the last men's competition at the World Championships in Khanty Mansiysk, Hofer came third and won the bronze medal. The blonde boy, who once again showed a class performance in his running and only missed once at the shooting range, only had to admit defeat to the Norwegian Emil Hegle Svendsen and the Russian Evgeny Ustyugov.

Lukas Hofer's bronze medal is the first precious metal at a Biathlon World Championships in ten years. In 2001 in Pokljuka, Renè Cattarinussi won silver in the sprint. It is also Italy's 17th medal at the World Championships. Hofer is the eighth South Tyrolean, after Johann Passler, Andreas Zingerle, Gottlieb Taschler, Werner Kiem, Hubert Leitgeb, Simon Demetz and Willi Pallhuber, to win precious metal at a World Cup.

Lukas Hofer was in the top field right from the start. The South Tyrolean made no mistakes until the last shooting. Then Hofer missed once, but he stayed cool and brought his lead safely to the finish line.

"I try to get on the podium in every race. Today everything was perfect, even my shooting was very good. I'm very proud that I did it, because there are a lot of excellent athletes in the World Cup," said Hofer at the press conference in Khanty Mansiysk and added that he was very happy to be able to work with his coach Andreas Zingerle again this year. "He's my favorite coach, he knows me like no one else."

Hofer left the star of this World Championships - the Norwegian Tarjei Boe - behind him and thus prevented the 22-year-old Scandinavian from collecting his sixth medal in the sixth race. Ole Einar Bjoerndalen had to settle for sixth place.

"The entire team deserves this medal. We knew beforehand that Lukas would have a good chance at the mass start. I'm very happy for him and am happy that he had luck on his side this time too. Lukas is a huge talent on a level with Tarjei Boe and Martin Fourcade. All nations envy us," said head coach Fabrizio Curtaz after the competition.

Markus Windisch, a second South Tyrolean, was also at the start. The speedster shot three “tickets” at the first attack and buried his medal chances after just a few minutes and ultimately came 28th.

IBU World Championships in Khanty Mansiysk (RUS), mass start men

1. Emil Hegle Svendsen (NOR) 38.42,7 (1 shooting error) 2. Evgeny Ustyugov (RUS) +5,0 (0) 3. Lukas Hofer (ITA/Montal) +14,3 (1) 4. Tarjei Boe (NOR) +23.3 (2) 5. Ivan Tcherezov (RUS) +24,2 (1) 6. Ole Einar Bjoerndalen (NOR) +28,8 (1) 7. Andrei Makoveev (RUS) +49,8 (0) 8. Arnd Peiffer (GER) +53,7 (3) 9. Simon Eder (AUT) +54,2 (2) 10. Martin Fourcade (FRA) +54,8 (3) 28. Markus Windisch (ITA/turf) +3.49,3 (5)

All 17 World Cup medals for the “Azzurri” 1979 Ruhpolding (GER) - Bronze Luigi Weiss 10 km sprint men 1985 Ruhpolding (GER) - Bronze Johann Passler 10 km sprint men 1986 Holmenkollen (NOR) - Bronze 4x7,5 km relay men (Kiem-Taschler-Passler-Zingerle) 1990 Kontiolahti (FIN) - Gold 4x7,5 km relay men (Carrara-Pallhuber-Passler-Zingerle) 1991 Lahti (FIN) - Gold team competition men (Leitgeb-Taschler-Demetz-Pallhuber) 1993 BGoldvetz (BUL) - Gold Andreas Zingerle 20 km individual race men 1993 BGoldvetz (BUL) - Gold 4x7,5 km relay men (Pallhuber-Passler-Carrara-Zingerle) 1994 Canmore (CAN) - Gold Team Competition Men (Carrara-Leitgeb-Zingerle-Pallhuber) 1996 Ruhpolding (GER) - Bronze René Cattarinussi 10 km sprint men 1996 Ruhpolding (GER) - Bronze team competition men (Cattarinussi-Leitgeb-Carrara-Favre) 1997 Osrblie (SWE) - Gold Wilfried Pallhuber 10 km sprint men 1997 Osrblie (SWE) - Silver René Cattarinussi 10 km sprint men 1997 Osrblie (SWE) - Bronze 4x7,5 km relay men (Cattarinussi-Pallhuber-Favre-Carrara) 1999 Kontiolahti (FIN) - Silver Patrick Favre 10 km sprint men 2000 Holmenkollen (NOR) - Bronze René Cattarinussi 10 km sprint men 2001 Bled-Pokljuka (SLO) - Silver René Cattarinussi 10 km sprint men 2011 Khanty Mansiysk (RUS) - Bronze Lukas Hofer 15 km mass start men

Football

Italy

International leagues

International

Winter sports

Hockey

Tennis

Other sports

Motorsport

Cycling

Watersports

Events

Favorites

Biathlon World Cup: Lukas Hofer takes bronze

The 15-year-old Montaler took third place in the 21-kilometer mass start in Khanty Maniysk.

Suggestions

Comments (0)