Biathlon: Finnish tears in Östersund – Sonja Leinamo denied shock win

In windy conditions at the women’s 15 km individual World Cup opener in Östersund, several top names faltered on the shooting range. Last season’s overall World Cup winner Franziska Preuß was among those who shot themselves out of contention.

Italy’s Dorothea Wierer, however, held her nerve and won the race by the slimmest of margins—just three tenths of a second ahead of the day’s sensation, Finland’s Sonja Leinamo. Leinamo, with only a single miss, delivered a breakthrough performance to take second place; it is only the second top‑10 finish of her career. She was visibly emotional at the finish, saying she was ‘extremely happy’ and could hardly believe the result.

The surprises continued with France’s Camille Bened taking third place in what was only her fourth individual World Cup start. Sweden’s best was Hanna Öberg in fifth after three misses, with compatriots Elvira Öberg eighth and Anna Magnusson ninth. Further down the Swedish list were Ella Halvarsson (36th), Johanna Skottheim (43rd), and Sara Andersson (49th).

The race underscored how the blustery conditions at the range shaped outcomes on the opening day of individual racing for the season in Östersund.