According to the clock, it was a tie for the gold medal. Two biathletes — in alphabetical order, Martin Fourcade of France and Simon Schempp of Germany — finished the men’s 15km mass start at the 2018 Winter Olympics with identical times of 35:47.3.
This biathlon photo finish delivered the 2018 Winter Olympics’ most dramatic ending
Two biathletes finished with the same exact time in the men’s 15km mass start at the 2018 Winter Olympics. But only one got a gold medal.
Photo by Alain Grosclaude/Agence Zoom/Getty Images
But, after a photo review, only one of them got a gold medal.
How many photos does it take for you to guess which athlete ended up atop the medal stand? Schempp is wearing No. 14 while Fourcade is wearing No. 2.
Photo by Christophe Pallot/Agence Zoom/Getty Images
Photo by Adam Pretty/Getty Images
Photo by Adam Pretty/Getty Images
Photo by Adam Pretty/Getty Images
Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images
Photo by Christophe Pallot/Agence Zoom/Getty Images
Photo by Adam Pretty/Getty Images
Photo by Alain Grosclaude/Agence Zoom/Getty Images
After he slammed down his poles in apparent frustration after crossing the finish line, Fourcade was declared the victor in the race by virtue of his lunging left boot.
“I’m still waiting for them to tell me that I’m not the winner,” Fourcade said Sunday, via NBC.
It was the 29-year-old’s fourth career gold medal, making him France’s greatest Winter Olympian. Count French President Emmanuel Macron among those thrilled by the dramatic finish:
“Four years ago in Sochi I lost by only three centimeters, so I thought the story was repeating again. Tonight it’s incredible,” Fourcade told reporters, via Reuters.
OK, now that we’ve examined the photos, enjoy the NBC broadcast of the dramatic finish.
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