The 24-year-old had a special feeling during the warm-up: If I shoot zero-zero, then I'll win.
That's exactly how the 7.5-kilometer sprint race turned out.
Anna-Karin Heijdenberg was flawless on the range and also fast on the track, which gave her gold and a large margin of victory in Val Martello.
I felt that the feeling was good and that it reminded me of the one the day before yesterday, says the Swede, who earlier in the week took bronze in the distance race, to SVT.
But you get a little nervous, the shooting has to match when you have this feeling for it to be good.
Closer to the World Championship
The success in Italy has not only resulted in medals – Heijdenberg is also getting closer to the World Championship.
The European Championship is indeed decisive for who will get the two last spots in Sweden's team for the championship in Lenzerheide on 12-23 February.
Two spots have been left open in the team, one on the women's side and one on the men's side.
If there's any competition where you want to be in top form during the season, it's here. I'm incredibly proud, says Heijdenberg.
For Anna-Karin Heijdenberg, the European Championship success can continue already on Saturday, when the championship continues with the pursuit.
A race where she already leads by 49.3 seconds ahead of Frenchwoman Amandine Mengin.
I'll try to stay on top.
Norwegian Success
In the men's sprint, 10 kilometers, Emil Nykvist was in the medal hunt – but a Norwegian success day stopped the Swede from taking another medal after the bronze in the distance race earlier in the week. Instead, it was a sixth place.
Sivert Guttorm Bakken shot perfectly and won with 6.6 seconds ahead of Vetle Sjåstad Christiansen.
Fredrik Mülbacher, Austria, finished third.
Norway had four skiers among the top five.
Nykvist, who shot perfectly, still has a good position ahead of Saturday's pursuit when he was only 15 seconds behind winner Bakken and five seconds from a third place.
