The French biathlete triumphed in tough conditions to keep the sprint title in France with Germany’s Franziska Preuss and Finland’s Suvi Minkkinnen wrapping up the podium.
Justine Braisaz-Bouchet fought off tricky conditions and a tough field to win the women’s 7.5km sprint at the 2025 IBU Biathlon World Championships in Lenzerheide, Switzerland on Friday (14 February).
Second last year behind teammate Julia Simon, Braisaz-Bouchet hit nine out of 10 shots and finished with a winning time of 22:08.7.
Germany’s Franziska Preuss took silver, 9.8 seconds behind the Olympic mass start champion, while Finland’s Suvi Minkkinen was third, 10 second behind.
“The win has come at just the right time,” Braisaz-Bouchet told Eurosport after the race. “The conditions are very difficult and I haven’t had the best of seasons on the shooting range, so it was really a psychological challenge rather than anything else.
“All in all, it’s a top day for me and it’s really important for my career that I found some success here in Lenzerheide,” she continued.
It was France’s second gold medal at the 2025 Biathlon World Championships in as many events, following their success in the mixed relay, but the first sprint title for Braisaz-Bouchet who previously only won world titles in the mass start and relays.
Preuss picked up a bronze medal with Team Germany in the mixed relay and upgraded to silver in the individual event, striking back after a disappointing medal drought at the Worlds last year. She missed one shot and came in with a time of 22:18.5.
“The race was really tough. The track is really, really hard, especially the last long uphill. You made so many steps to the top,” Preuss told Eurosport. “Yesterday I wrote down a plan for today and I would say, except the one standing mistake, it was a good plan and it worked really good and I’m super happy about the silver medal.”
Only seven athletes hit a perfect 10 out of 10 in the sprint event, including Minkkinen who was delighted with her first world medal. The Finnish bronze medallist was the only one in the top three to shoot clean.
Defending champion Julia Simon struggled with the blustery conditions and missed two shots. Coming to the finish in seventh place, the French star said she was disappointed with her result and complained of a “strange headache” that she said is affecting her race focus.
The 2025 IBU Biathlon World Championships continue with the men’s sprint on Saturday (15 February).
