Frenchman Vincent Defrasne has taken gold in the men’s 12.5km biathlon pursuit in a thrilling finish at Cesana San Sicario.

Defrasne held off five-time Olympic gold medallist Ole Einar Bjoerndalen of Norway, winning by just 2.7 seconds.

The Frenchman completed the course in 35:20.2 to earn his first gold medal.

The 28-year-old, who claimed a bronze medal in the Salt Lake City 2002 Games in the relay, missed only two shots in the competition that combined cross country skiing and shooting.

Bjoerndalen, who also took the silver medal in the 20km individual biathlon earlier in the Games, missed three shots.

The medal marks his eighth in Olympic competition. He claimed a gold and two silver in Nagano 1998; four gold in Salt Lake City and two silver in Torino.

Sven Fischer, the gold medallist in the 10km sprint, took bronze. The German missed four shots, all in the prone position and then rallied strongly to come in 15.6 seconds behind Defrasne.

Defrasne was clearly thrilled with his win.

“This morning I was ready to give my all, I felt on top form,” he said.

“When I was competing with Bjoerndalen at the end I wanted to beat him and I knew I could do it.”

Bjoerndalen was satisfied with his silver medal, but disappointed in his finish.

“Before the race I decided to go on the offensive and go the fastest I could,” he said.

“But on the last hill I didn’t manage to create any speed so I had nothing to give in the end.”

Defrasne had only won one previous major competition, a 10km World Cup victory in Oberhof, Germany earlier this season.

Kevin Diggerson/AOC
Torino