Johan‑Olav Botn on fire – takes fourth individual podium of the season

Norwegian biathlete Johan‑Olav Botn (26) continued his outstanding Olympic‑season form in Hochfilzen. Starting fourth in the pursuit after taking fourth in Friday’s sprint, Botn hit 19 of 20 targets and skied onto the podium, finishing third. Across the Hochfilzen weekend he missed only one shot out of 30.

The pursuit victory went to France’s Éric Perrot, who shot a perfect 20/20, with Italy’s Tommaso Giacomel second and Botn third after sealing the podium with a strong final shooting. Biathlon legend Ole Einar Bjørndalen praised Botn’s level on TV 2, calling his performances “insane.”

With two wins, two thirds and a fourth so far this season, Botn now leads both the sprint cup and the overall World Cup. Teammate Sturla Holm Lægreid said the yellow bib will be very hard to take off Botn, highlighting that he is currently the best shot in the field. The result underlines Botn’s status as a prime gold contender for the Milan–Cortina 2026 Olympic Games.