The opening day of the IBU Youth and Junior World Championships in Arber delivered dramatic individual races for Youth and Junior Men, highlighted by dominant skiing performances and breakthrough podium moments.

Youth Men Individual

Rihards Lozbers powered to victory thanks to the fastest ski time of the day, finishing almost two minutes clear of the field. The Latvian, boosted by recent Olympic experience, overcame three prone shooting errors with a perfect 10/10 standing performance to secure gold. Ukraine's Taras Tarasiuk claimed second place despite two penalties, celebrating his first-ever individual podium. Bronze went to Georgi Dzhorgov of Bulgaria, who missed once in each of his first three shootings before cleaning the final stage and skiing strongly to hold onto third. Just 0.2 seconds behind him, France’s Nans Madelenat narrowly missed out on the podium in fourth.

Junior Men Individual

Starting with bib 84 out of 93 competitors, Philip Lindkvist-Floetten (Sweden) surged to the top with flawless shooting to claim gold and become the Junior Men Individual World Champion. France’s Leo Carlier, who led for much of the race, finished with silver, hindered only by a single miss. Bronze went to Jakob Kulbin of Estonia, who, despite four misses, posted the fastest ski time by over a minute to secure his first junior medal.

Fourth place was claimed by French Camille Grataloup-Manissolle, who received the small crystal globe for the Individual after the race.

Tomorrow, the action continues with the Youth and Junior Women Individual events.

Photos: Deubert/IBU