February 18, 2014 (Sochi, Russia) – After being rescheduled twice due to heavy fog the Men’s Biathlon 15km Mass Start finally got underway in tough conditions with heavy, wet snowfall as Emil Hegle Svendsen’s (NOR) took home the gold in a stunning photo-finish with World Cup leader Martin Fourcade (FRA).

Svendsen raised his arms just before the finish line believing he’d won, but the move almost cost him the gold as Fourcade lunged at the last moment forcing the photo-finish. In the end both were given the same time and Svendsen took home the gold as his boot crossed the line first in one of the closest finishes ever at the Games. Ondrej Moravec (CZE) secured the bronze medal.

Men's final podium (l-r) Moravec 3rd, Svendson 1st, Fourcade 2nd © Sochi 2014

It was also a big day for the Canadians, as Brendan Green (CAN) logged a solid ninth place, and Jean-Philippe Le Guellec (CAN) topped off his successful career with an Olympic Games 10th-place.

“It was a really good day today. I’m definitely happy with the result. I guess I started out with a miss in each prone session but was able to kind of slowly work my way back up the field as the race progressed. The conditions were tough and challenging with really heavy snow and really quite slushy conditions for skiing which makes it difficult,” said Green.

Brendan Green (CAN) © Nancie Battaglia

“I guess I was able to kind of persevere through it. It’s kind of an exhausting last few days getting ready for the race, showing up to the venue and then having the race postponed or cancelled and that sort of thing. So, I’m starting to get a little tired and it’s finally nice to get the race done today and I’m super happy with the result. It’s amazing to have two guys in the top 10 and to finish next to JP in his last big race – that’s an honour and it’s pretty cool for sure.

With only the 4×7.5km Men’s Relay event to go in the Biathlon discipline, today’s race marked Le Guellec’s final individual race, as he announced he will retire after these Games. His best result of the 2014 Olympics was a fifth place in the sprint event on Feb. 8. Le Guellec’s career-best result is a World Cup victory in the 10km Sprint event in 2012.

“Considering everything, I think it went well. I was second after the second prone shooting. Today I skied quite well… to have been a part of this in itself is a great experience,” commented Le Guellec.

Jean-Philippe le Guellec (CAN) © Nancie Battaglia

“Brandon passed me during the course, in the big upward slope, that’s where I pushed, since I’m lighter and faster I could try to be in front of him then, and that’s what I did. At the top of the hill. right before the finish line, I looked back and couldn’t see him. I was with another skier going downhill, we were resting a little bit, catching our breath before the final sprint. Brandon had the advantage of seeing where we were from the top the hill, so he pushed harder at the top and went downhill faster, had more momentum and passed us.”

“For me the individual races end here. I won’t be going to the Biathlon Worlds as Biathlon Canada put the Canadian championships in Charlo, NB at the same time as the World championships. It wasn’t worth it for me to go to Europe for one championship, then go back East, so, I will finish at home.

“Charlo is where I competed at the Canada Games the year I joined the national team, so it has a bit of an emotional connection for me.  I wanted to finish at home, with my friends, the community – the Canadian biathlon community.”

USA's Bailey (l) and Burke © Nancie Battaglia

USA’s Tim Burke (USA) was the next-best North American today, finishing in 21st place, while countryman Lowell Bailey (USA) pulled into 23rd spot. Canada’s Nathan Smith (CAN) did not finish.

“Conditions on the course today were a challenge,” said Burke. Commenting on the multiple weather delays for the mass start, Burke added, “getting ready to race four times, then having the delays, it was the same for everyone. It wasn’t a disadvantage in any way for us.

“The delays didn’t really affect me much,” said Bailey, “Nothing really came together today. The conditions are what they are.”

Fourcade (l) leads Hegle Svendsen © Nancie Battaglia

Svendsen put together the perfect race, shooting clean all around, while Fourcade received one penalty. The duo sprinted to the finish and stopped the clock with the same time, but the camera determined gold would go to Svendsen by painful millimetres. Moravec would finish with a 13.8s deficit.

Fourcade made his fateful shooting mistake on the first round, while Svendsen was free and clear. He led the pack out of the second prone stage, and by the 7.8km mark, the Norwegian was together with Moravec and Jean Guillaume Beatrix (FRA), while Fourcade was 22s behind.

Svendsen cleaned the first standing stage and left the stadium first, followed by a clean-shooting Moravec. Perfect shooting by Fourcade saw him catapult up to third spot. The fight for gold was extremely exciting, as Moravec and Svendsen both shot clean in the final standing and left the stadium together, 4s ahead of Fourcade, who shot very quickly and accurately.

It was still an open race as the Frenchman closed the gap and gained the lead. Then it was Svendsen fighting back moving out front on the small climb. But Fourcade came back and lunged to the line yet it wasn’t enough as he was forced to settle for silver, after scoring two individual golds already in these Games.

Full results here.