The national team coach Johannes Lukas is finding it increasingly difficult not to choose Anna-Karin Heijdenberg as the fifth and final female biathlete for the World Championship in Lenzerheide.
The success in the European Championship in Italian Martell cannot be ignored.
On Saturday, Heijdenberg took her third consecutive medal in the championship when she finished second in the pursuit despite shaky shooting. The 24-year-old Swede went out with a large lead after Friday's dominant gold in the sprint, but missed four shots – one in each series – and could not defend her lead.
Lettish Baiba Bendika finished with a nervous standing shooting, three misses, but otherwise had a perfect race and took gold.
Behind her, Heijdenberg managed to sprint to silver after a duel with Italian Linda Zingerle on the final lap. Three races and as many medals, one in each color, is more than she could have hoped for.
Good Lord, if someone had said that a week ago, I wouldn't have believed they were talking about me. I'm enjoying it a lot, says Heijdenberg to SVT.
Elvira Öberg, Hanna Öberg, Anna Magnusson, and Ella Halvarsson have already been selected for the World Championship in Switzerland on 12–23 February. The European Championship will be decisive for who among Heijdenberg, Johanna Skottheim, and Sara Andersson gets the last spot on the women's side.
Skottheim was actually the best Swedish biathlete in the pursuit itself, with two misses and the third-best time for the day. She started as 26th, however, and had to settle for 11th place, over a minute from victory.
Nykvist crashed in the pursuit
For Emil Nykvist on the men's side, it was not as cheerful a Saturday.
The Swede went out as sixth, just 15 seconds behind leading Sivert Guttorm Bakken, but could not keep up with the pace. And when the misses started coming, Nykvist crashed far down the field.
Nykvist finished 19th.
Instead, it was an unexpected home win. Italian Patrick Braunhofer won after perfect shooting, ahead of the Norwegian duo Isak Frey and Sverre Dahlen Aspenes.
