BIATHLON: Trouble on the shooting range hurt Australian biathletes Darcie Morton and Jethro Mahon in their pursuit events at the Lillehammer 2016 Youth Olympic Games on Day 3.

Morton only missed one shot when she was 16th in the 6km sprint, however in windy conditions she missed six shots from her four trips to the range in the 7.5km pursuit. Five of these were in the prone position and one standing.

She still placed a commendable 26th and held it together well for no misses in her final shoot.

Mahon, who suffered a broken binding in the Sprint event, before being lent a borrowed ski, again finished at the tail of the 50-man field in the Pursuit but he was starting to find his skiing groove.

“It felt a lot better. I was skiing smoother and more consistent,” Mahon, at his first major international meet, said.

“I had a good start in the range with zero and one (miss) from prone but I fell away with 2 and 3 in standing. I was pretty tired and shaky in the final shots.

“Luca (coach) said all my misses were split shots, so super close.

“This was definitely a big improvement on race rhythm but not the position I want to be.”

Morton and Mahon will combine in the new single mixed relay event on Wednesday, amongst 27 other teams.

Morton will race 2 x 3km with Mahon to ski 3km in the first leg and 4.5km in the second leg. Each athlete will shoot prone and then standing with each missed shot incurring one 75-metre penalty loop.

Andrew Reid
Olympics.com.au