Biathlon World Championships 2009
rd biathlon world championship held pyeongchang south korea february february first time biathlon world championship held asia outside asian russia total competition sprint pursuit individual mass start relay race men woman relatively new mixed relay event championship also counted – biathlon world cup season championship even started controversy three russian biathletes sent home failed drug test previous round world cup ostersund sweden first day competition made possible effort volunteer working overnight managed relay competition track manmade snow natural snow disappeared unusual weather condition melted away event started victory kati wilhelm womens sprint extraordinary norway men sprint ole einar bjørndalen coming top drama started second day reigning champion andrea henkel disqualified womens pursuit even started accidentally loaded rifle live ammunition fired round prerace practice leaving helena jonsson sweden capture surprise gold medal moving medal position fifth place shooting clear final shoot men km pursuit competitor least including race leader eventual winner ole einar bjørndalen skied wrong way start first lap leaving start athlete skied bridge instead around course change previous day sprint competition following complaint russian team race jury gave nine athlete oneminute time penalty relegating bjørndalen first bronze medal position awarding gold medal russian maxim tchoudov however counter complaint seven member state led appeal jury reverting original result record th world championship gold medal bjørndalen world championship count towards world cup win bjørndalens th victory equaling wintersport record world cup victory swedish alpine skier ingemar stenmark men individual saw another victory bjørndalen taking tally world cup victory breaking stenmarks record stood since womens individual saw wilhelm win second gold medal championship relay event started mixed relay event close competition france sweden germany within second final change france coming top win first title event mass start men saw bjørndalen going th victory championship last shooting stage comfortably lead shot missed dominik landertinger christoph sumann austria ivan tcherezov russia able get within second last skiing lap landertinger able ski quickest securing austria first medal championship bjørndalen settle fourth womens relay russia impressive margin germany france taking bronze womens mass start closerun race woman battling gold final shoot olga zaitseva coming home comfortably end kati wilhelm wearing bib one expected contend gold already collected gold medal earlier championship missing target came home last men relay brought championship close another close race austria norway germany contention right final standing shoot final leg bjørndalen anchor leg norway shot clear whereas sumann missed one target norwegian enough ski country gold collecting fourth gold championship process provisional schedule event pyeongchang official site english