Laegreid claims fourth gold of World Championships

Sturla Holm Laegreid claimed his fourth medal of the 2021 Biathlon World Championships with victory in the men's 15km mass start in Pokljuka.

The Norwegian, who had already stood on top of the podium in the individual 20km, men's team and mixed relay events in Slovenia, continued his productive fortnight with an excellent display.

Laegreid missed just one shot from 20 with the rifle and came home in 36:27.2 to beat his fellow countryman Johannes Dale into second place.

Dale was 10.2 seconds slower than his compatriot and claimed his second medal of the World Championships, having taken bronze in the 20km earlier in the week.

Quentin Fillot Maillet ensured it was not an all-Norwegian podium by taking bronze for France, his first medal of the competition, with Austria's Simon Eder in fourth.

The biggest surprise of the day came from World Cup leader Johannes Thinges Boe, who finished eighth after making five errors with the pistol.

Boe has a 32-point lead over Laegreid in the men's World Cup standings but returns from the World Championships without an individual medal.