Para Biathlon World Championships 2024 – Day 1 & 2

WILKIE AND LIASHENKO TIE FOR 7.5K SPRINT GOLD

On the first day of the 2024 Para Biathlon World Championships, there was a rare tie for first place. Ukrainian Liudmyla Liashenko and Canadian Natalie Wilkie both landed on the top spot of the women’s standing podium. Despite having to do a penalty lap, Liashenko still managed to cross the finish line in the same amount of time as Wilkie, 24 minutes and 11.3 seconds. Wilkie's teammate Brittany Hudak rounded out the podium in third place.

To start the day, American Oksana Masters won her fourth consecutive world championship medal. The day of 7.5km sprint races started with the women’s sitting category. Masters’ marksmanship was flawless, and she crossed the finish line in 27 minutes and 30.6 seconds. Anja Wicker claimed second spot on the podium with a time of 27 minutes and 32.7 seconds. Like Masters, the German also made no mistakes in her shooting. Rounding out the podium was Masters’ teammate Kendall Gretsch.

In the men’s sitting race, China’s Zixu Liu won gold with a time of 24 minutes and 45 seconds. His victory was aided by his accurate shooting on the rifle range, taking no penalty laps. Behind Liu on the podium was Ukraine’s Taras Rad, followed by China’s Mengtao Liu.

The men’s standing competition also saw a Canadian at the top spot on the podium – Mark Arendez. He finished the 7.5km sprint in 21 minutes and 5.5 seconds, despite having to complete a penalty lap after his first visit to the rifle range. In second was Ukranian Serhii Romaniuk, followed by German Marco Maier in third.

To end off the day, the vision impaired class of athletes took to the course. The women’s sprint saw the Germans dominate, with all three reaching the podium. Linn Kazmaier took top spot, with a time of 24 minutes and 50.8 seconds, including one penalty loop. Leonie Maria Walter finished in second place, followed by Johanna Recktenwald.

The final race of the day saw Ukranian Oleksandr Kazik win the gold medal for the men’s vision impaired category. Even though Kazik had to complete two penalty loops after his second time at the rifle range, he managed to cross the finish line in 21 minutes and 27 seconds. Frenchman Anthony Chalençon won the silver medal and Ukrainian Iaroslav Reshetynskyi rounded out the podium in third place.

ARENDZ, LIASHENKO AND KAZMAIER DOUBLE THE GOLD IN PRINCE GEORGE

Day two of the 2024 Para Biathlon World Championships saw athletes compete in the 12.5km individual competition, with three athletes winning gold for a second consecutive day. The first to do so was Canadian Mark Arendz in the men’s standing category.

While he missed one target during the first competition, he was excellent in his marksmanship at the shooting range during the 12.5km race, with no missed targets.

On the men’s standing podium alongside Arendz was Frenchman Benjamin Daviet in second, and Grygorii Vovchynskyi (UKR) in third. 

In the women’s standing class, Ukrainian Liudmyla Liashenko made her second trip of the world championships to the top of the podium, this time alone. Natalie Wilkie (CAN) also landed on the podium today, this time in third place. The silver medal was claimed by Zhiqing Zhao of China.

The women’s sitting category saw Americans Oksana Masters and Kendall Gretsch on the podium for a second straight day. This time though, Gretsch was the one who won the event. She made no errors in her shooting, while Masters had one missed target.

Rounding out the podium was Korea’s Yunji Kim.

To cap off the day, the vision impaired athletes hit the course with their guides. France’s Anthony Chalençon and guide Florian Michelon improved upon yesterday’s silver medal by winning today’s event. They were joined on the podium by Ukrainians Iaroslav Reshetynskyi and guide Dmytro Drahun in second, and Oleksandr Kazik with guide Serhii Kucheriavyi.

Linn Kazmaier and guide Florian Baumann claimed top spot on the podium again in the women’s category. Kazmaier improved in her shooting, with no missed targets compared to missing one target the day before. Germany’s Leonie Maria Walter and guide Christian Krasman won a second consecutive silver medal. Finishing the podium was Ukraine’s Nataliia Tkachenko with guide Ivan Marchyshak. 

Competitions will resume on Saturday with the sprint pursuit.

Text retrieved from IBU