Martin Fourcade was gunning for gold in the men’s 10km sprint Saturday night at the Laura biathlon course in Krasnaya Polyana.
This photo from his Instagram account shows him stoic as ever, having just crossed the finish line in sixth. All week he and Norwegian Emil Hegle Svendsen goaded each other through the press, slinging (friendly) insults and waging psychological warfare.
But I’ve learned you can’t possibly predict the biathlete who will win. Too much can happen. It’s exhilarating.
After the race, Fourcade said he’d go back to his room, take his brother in his arms and cry. (His brother Simon Fourcade also competes for France. He finished 36th.)
"Je suis déçu," Martin said to a crush of French television cameras.
“I am angry with myself. I am disappointed.”
His thousands of fans shed tears.
But the story was not about him and in the next few days I hope to deliver an equally stoic but jubilant photo (of my own) of Ole Einar Bjoerndalen, widely considered the greatest biathlete ever.
The Norwegian won the men’s sprint and claimed his 12th Olympic medal at the age of 40.
He not only tied the overall Winter Olympic medal haul but became the oldest gold medallist ever.
"I feel like I'm 20. My age is perfect," Bjoerndalen said to the press afterwards.
For his achievements, Deadspin admired the snot pouring out of his nose. A different kind of focused stoicism.
Bjoerndalen starts in the pole position Monday night in the men’s pursuit. He could win his second gold at the Sochi Games; it’d be his eighth Olympic gold.
