Sebastian Samuelsson and Hanna Oeberg bring home golds for Sweden at World Championships in Oberhof

BySportsbeat

Updated 19/02/2023 at 23:01 GMT

Sebastian Samuelsson shot 20 from 20 to finish 9.6 seconds ahead of compatriot Martin Ponsiluoma at the World Championships in Oberhof on Sunday. "It is fantastic. I never believed that I could be World Champion this year. It was a hard season for me.," said Samuelsson. In the women's 12.5km Mass Start, there was more success for Sweden as Hanna Oeberg won.

Biathlon

Highlights: Samuelsson brings home gold for Sweden in 15km mass start

00:10:10

Sebastian Samuelsson shot clean to take the 15km Mass Start gold medal at the World Championships in Oberhof on Sunday.

The Swedish biathlete had picked up three bronzes at the 2023 Championships to take his total to eight world medals without an outright victory.

But a fine last 3km loop powered Samuelsson past compatriot and silver medallist Martin Ponsiluoma to finish in a time of 36:42.8.

World Championships

Highlights: Oeberg storms through field in final loop to earn gold

00:09:47

19/02/2023 at 19:27

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The 25-year-old from Katrineholm called it the greatest race of his life in an emotional post-ceremony interview.

Samuelsson said: "It is fantastic. I never believed that I could be World Champion this year. It was a hard season for me.

"What I am most happy about today is my great, great performance. I just focused on myself on the shooting range, just tried to hit those targets.

"Today is the best race of my career so far."

Norway's Johannes Thingnes Boe couldn't add to his glittering collection of five gold medals in Oberhof as three penalties cost him his previous advantage and the Olympic champion had to settle for bronze.

In the women's 12.5km Mass Start, there was more success for Sweden as Hanna Oeberg stormed through the competition in the final loop to earn her second gold of the Championships.

With French pair Julia Simon and Anais Chevalier-Bouchet ceding the lead to Oeberg with a last standing stage penalty apiece, the Swede came home in 36:48.

Ingrid Landmark Tandrevold of Norway caught Simon in the last loop for the silver medal, while the Frenchwoman clung on for third with three penalties in total.

Oeberg said: "It is like a dream. I am just enjoying this so, so much. I thought it would be hard after two penalties in the first two prone.

"But my standing shooting has been working so well. It is unbelievable!"

Biathletes have a short break before World Cup action resumes in Nove Mesto na Morave, Czechia on March 2.

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