The new Junior European Champions have been crowned. Imatra in Finland hosted the title competitions and provided the perfect stage for exciting races and beaming winners.

Greta Lindqvist Seldahl is the most successful athlete at the Junior European Championships

The Swedish athlete excelled in her very first international race of the season. In the individual race, she delivered a fantastic shooting performance with 20 hits and won the gold medal. She won another gold medal in the mixed relay together with Lydia Hagg Eveby, Isak Falk and Elmer Nordlander. Lindqvist Seldahl finished third in the mass start 60. With three medals, she is the most successful athlete of the championships. Estere Volfa from Latvia also stood on the podium three times. She won the mass start 60 and came third in the sprint and in the single mixed relay, together with Rihards Lozbers.

Czechia dominates the men's races

Every gold medal in the men's individual races went to the Czechia team. David Elias got things underway in the 15 km individual. Vladimir Kocmanek won the sprint and Michael Malek secured victory in the mass start 60. With another medal from David Elias, bronze in the sprint, Czechia leads the medal table and can call itself the most successful nation in these championships.

A victory for the family

In the single mixed relay, Tetiana Tarasiuk and her younger brother Taras celebrated a very special victory: they became European champions as siblings. What family can claim to have two European champions in its ranks? In the second part of the race, the two excelled and remained clean at the shooting range. Taras Tarasiuk was the only one to go on the track without any shooting mistakes after the last shooting and was already awaited by his sister at the finish line. Lena Baumann and Remo Burch from Switzerland came second ahead of Estere Volfa and Rihards Lozbers from Latvia.

Manca Caserman on her way to the Winter Olympics in Antholz

The Slovenian athlete is taking home two medals. She came out on top in the sprint. In the mixed relay, she helped her team secure a place on the podium and celebrated winning silver with Ela Sever, Ruj Groselj Simic and Aljaz Omejc at the finish line. She is now preparing for the Winter Olympics, for which she has been nominated.

Youth Junior World Championships, the highlight of the season, are just around the corner

In one month, the young athletes will be back at the starting line together. From 28 February, the world champions for youth and junior athletes will be decided. The World Championships will take place at Arber in Germany.

Photos: IBU I Koksarov