Winter Olympics 2022 - Denise Herrmann completes journey from cross-country skier to Olympic biathlon champion
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Updated 07/02/2022 at 11:29 GMT
The Sochi 2014 bronze medallist in cross country relay is now a biathlon Olympic champion, having claimed gold in the 15km at the Beijing Games with a virtually flawless shooting performance. Silver was claimed by Anais Chevalier-Bouchet of France, with Marte Olsbu Roeiseland taking bronze. Watch every moment of the Games on discovery+.
Ecstatic Herrmann celebrates with team-mates after winning gold in biathlon
Germany's Denise Herrmann claimed the Winter Olympic 15km biathlon title with an impressive all-round performance in Beijing, less than six years after she switched from cross-country skiing.
The 33-year-old crossed the line in 44:12.7, with Anais Chevalier-Bouchet of France taking silver ahead of Marte Olsbu Roeiseland of Norway in bronze.
Herrmann was virtually flawless in the shoot, and held her nerve better than any of her rivals on her final trip to the range, finishing with a clean shoot and skiing strongly to the line to take victory.
With each missed shot adding a minute to the overall time, Dzinara Alimbekava - who was at one stage the closest challenger - paid for a slip-up at the last.
The podium finish is Herrmann's second in the Olympics, having won cross-country relay bronze at Sochi 2014, but she has now completed her journey to Olympic gold in another discipline.
She also won the world title in Ostersund in 2019 over 10km, and has followed that up with medals in other events since.
World champion Marketa Davidova, competing with a rifle decorated with unicorns, finished outside the medals in sixth, with Pyeongchang 2018 winner Hanna Oberg back in 16th.
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Watch every moment of Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022 on discovery+
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