Successful final day
Sunday brought a fantastic ending to a successful IBU World Championships Biathlon. His Majesty King Harald and Her Highness Princess Astrid, Mrs Ferner, have followed the competitions closely.
March 13, 2016
King Harald and the Princess have greeted the winners at the royal grandstand. Today everything finally went right for Norwegian Johannes Thingnes Bø. After three earlier fourth-place finishes, he won the individual gold for the championship’s final event. But capturing the men’s relay gold with his teammates, said Mr Thingnes Bø, was even more rewarding. King Harald asked him what he thought of veteran teammate Ole Einar Bjørndalen: Would he continue to compete beyond this championship? Both hoped he would.
Mr Bjørndalen, 42, who said on Sunday that his performance at Holmenkollen “exceeded all my expectations”, won two silver medals and a bronze, in addition to the gold for the relay victory.
French win most medals
Despite Norway’s four golds, France took home the most championship medals. France’s Martin Fourcade and Marie Dorin Habert won three and two individual gold medals, respectively, as well as golds for the mixed relay competition. Germany’s Laura Dahlmeier also turned in a strong performance, winning gold in the women’s pursuit event in addition to a silver and a bronze.
Appreciation for the volunteers
Some 1 400 volunteers have been involved in the championship activities. On the final day, both Per Bergerud, head of the hosting company, and Mayor of Oslo Marianne Borgen thanked the volunteers in particular for their dedication, stating that without them the event would not have been such a success.
