Actually, he is a little unhappy with how the timing works. Shooting times are measured manually by officials.
– I have seen many times that they are not correct, says Sebastian Samuelsson.
– Sometimes it says 35 seconds, but if you measure it yourself it’s 25.
But when he gets winter’s figures in black and white in front of him, ahead of Sunday’s mass start in the WC in the Czech Nove Mesto, last year’s gold medalist – also pure world champion in the relay – still shines.
– I am very happy with that. I am very pleased with how the work has been with cutting time. I feel much more competitive there now.
Facts. Sebastian Samuelsson’s shooting times
2022–23
Lying down: 30.2 seconds on average.
Standing: 26.1.
Position in the “shooting league” in terms of speed: 64.
2023–24 (to date)
Horizontal: 28.0.
Standing: 25.5.
Position in the “shooting league” in terms of speed: 36.
Source: Realbiathlon.com
The site sorts data from the International Biathlon Union (IBU). The statistics refer to individual races, in the World Cup and WC.
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According to the official statistics last season he was the biathlon circus’s 64th fastest shooter, with an average of 30.2 seconds per shooting series in prone shooting and 26.1 seconds in standing.
This year, he has climbed to 36th on the list, averaging 28.0 and 25.5 seconds respectively.
Getting faster on the mat was Samuelsson’s big goal before the season. Last spring, he changed the so-called stock on the rifle to get a new shooting position, and a lot of training has been put into cutting time.
He clearly had happy to hit a few more shots, he says. But in the WC he has still noticed the difference in speed.
– I made that reflection at the start of the hunt, where I shot my first shot together with (Norwegians) Dale and Bø and shot faster than both of them. That meant that I still got four to five seconds out on the next lap, instead of having to catch up. It makes a difference in how you tackle the race.
Sebastian Samuelsson starts the WC’s final race as reigning champion, and recent gold medalist in the relay. Photo: Petter Arvidson/Bildbyrån
What might it mean in a mass start?
– A lot. If you look at how it was in Oberhof last year (the Swede’s World Cup gold race in Germany), I shot full but I had to constantly catch up following the shot and burned energy on it. If you are part of the tight cluster right away, that is a big advantage. And it can also be a way to decide a race.
So far, there have been no individual medals for Samuelsson in the WC. But the tributes have replaced each other following the ice cold of the last shot in Saturday’s men’s relay, which paved the way for gold.
The mass start is the final race of the WC.
What is it like going into the World Cup final as reigning champion?
– I see it as a great fun thing. I will really do everything to defend that title.
Facts. This is how the Biathlon World Cup ends in Nove Mesto
Both Sebastian Samuelsson and Hanna Öberg step into the mass start as reigning world champions, Martin Ponsiluoma as reigning WC and Olympic runner-up.
Sunday, 14.15: Mass start, ladies.
Swedish skaters: Elvira Öberg, Mona Brorsson, Hanna Öberg, Linn Persson, Anna Magnusson.
Sunday, 4:30 p.m.: Mass start, gentlemen.
Swedish åkare: Sebastian Samuelsson, Martin Ponsiluoma.
The WC is broadcast on SVT
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