Johannes Thingnes BOE

PYEONGCHANG 2018
Despite missing two of his 20 shots in the men’s 20km individual at the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games, he managed to overcome the two-minute penalty to win gold in a time of 48:03.8, finishing 5.5 seconds ahead of silver medallist Jakov Fak (SLO) and then bronze medallist Dominik Landertinger (AUT), who both hit all 20 targets. "I knew that I could not miss any more to fight for the medals. With (missing) one on the last standing I thought my medal chances were gone. So today I was lucky. To finish the race with a gold medal is very good." (olympic.org, 15 Feb 2018)

DOMINATING DUO
Rivalry with French biathlete Martin Fourcade, is often compared to Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier, or Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Fourcade dominated men’s biathlon for six seasons, winning 62 individual World Cup events in that span, including a record 14 victories in the 2016/17 season. Boe and Fourcade split the 2017/18 season with eight and nine victories respectively, but Boe dominated the following year breaking Fourcade’s single season record with 16 event wins. The 2019/2020 season (Fourcade’s last) was tight again, with Boe edging out Fourcade 10-7. In the last three seasons of Fourcade’s career, the pair won 51 out of 68 World Cup titles. (sport.tv2.dk, 30 Nov 2019)

HONOURABLE
After a fourth-place finish in the 12.5km pursuit, at a 2019 World Cup event in Soldier Hollow, Utah (USA), Boe informed the IBU that he had only fired four of his five bullets in the last standing shooting. After review, both parties mutually agreed not to award the 43 points allocated for the finish and Boe decided to distribute his 7000 Euro prize money to athletes ranked behind him.

"The case is closed for me. I had already approached the officials on site immediately and admitted the rule breach was my own fault. I want to point out that I would not have received any punishment if I had not come forward myself. My wish is that the IBU will do everything they can to prevent such mistakes in the future. It is never easy to give up World Cup points, but I also hope that other athletes can find the motivation and strength to be honest like me in the spirit of fair play, and take responsibility for their future mistakes." (biathlonworld.com, 28 Feb 2019)

TRAINING
Often criticized for missing training or not training as much as other competitors. "This is a bit hypothetical, but how good could I have been if I had done the job properly? Not sure if more training is the answer. I am very focused on training well when I am training. And my experience is that when I have trained the most, I have become more tired and have had to take time off. So, I do not think more training is the right way for me. If I were to train 1000 hours a year, my gut feeling would be that I would rather be worse than better." (tv2.no, 3 May 2020)

SIBLING RIVALRY
Despite regularly competing against each on the biathlon course, his older brother Tarjei is the only individual Johannes Thingnes is okay losing to. "That would be the very best. This is probably the only time I would rather be number two than number one. We are best friends. You can only confirm the role model he has always been, when he takes it so well that I have come up on his side and maybe gone a little past. I think many would get angry and upset, and maybe a little jealous. He has given me all the success, and I think he's big of it."

However, the friendly rivalry does not exist outside of biathlon. "In everything else, he is the worst guy to lose to. He is the last one you will lose to during the Yahtzee at Easter, for example. We are five siblings, but as long as you do not lose to Tarjei, it does not matter where on the list you end up." (synsam.no, 1 Dec 2016)

ANOTHER BOE
Son, Gustav, was born in January 2020. Boe prioritized the birth of his son over competing, missing the World Cup events in Germany (Oberhof and Ruhpolding). "I stay at home until the baby is born, and then I stay at home until everything is in place. Both Hedda (his wife), me and the child must feel that everything is safe. You do not have to prioritize your job over the family. It is, after all, the greatest thing that can happen." However, Boe would rather his son not follow in his footsteps, instead choosing football over biathlon. "I want Gustav to become a football player so I can send him to the Premier League, that is the goal. But my wife has said that he is not allowed to become a Newcastle supporter, because then the interest in football will probably plummet before he turns 10." (sport.tv2.dk, 30 Nov 2019; tv2.no, 27 Apr 2020)

LOOMING RETIREMENT
Looking to retire after the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games. "I'm going to 2026, then it's over. I think the Olympics in Italy in 2026 will be great. Then that's the point. But it is not appropriate to quit before that time. It will be a natural time to give up, then I will be 33 years old." (tv2.no, 3 May 2020)

© Data by Sports Data Warehouse

Three-time Olympian. Became the third-youngest Norwegian male biathlete to compete at Sochi 2014 (20 years, 268 days). Only Norweigan biathlete to win a gold medal at PyeongChang 2018, with gold in the individual, finishing 5.5 seconds ahead of Jakov Fak (SLO), despite missing two shots to Fak's none. Won two silver medals at PyeongChang 2018 in men's relay and the mixed relay. Added another five medals at Beijing 2022 with gold in the mixed relay, the men's relay, the sprint and the mass start. He claimed the bronze medal in the 20km individual.

Third all-time most World Championship gold medals won (12) and overall medals (24), and most among active biathletes. Won the most individual silver medals (six), alongside Ole Einar Bjoerndalen (NOR). Won a medal at every World Championship contested, only failing to win a gold in 2017 (three silver). Most successful athlete at the 2019 World Championships in Oestersund, with four gold and a silver (only biathlete to win four gold medals).

Won the World Cup overall Crystal Globe the past three seasons, finishing in the top three since 2015/16. Ended a seven-year streak from Martin Fourcade (FRA) with his first title in 2017/18 (last to win was his brother Tarjei in 2010/11). Has seven small Crystal Globes, winning each discipline at least once.

Third all-time most World Cup wins (52), 43 behind Ole Einar Bjoerndalen (NOR) and 31 behind Martin Fourcade (FRA). Most wins among active biathletes, 40 more than the next nearest competitor (brother Tarjei). Won his first World Cup race in December 2013, claiming victory in the Annecy sprint, before winning the pursuit the next day.

Five-time Youth/Junior World Champion, with victories in 2012 (youth sprint and pursuit, junior relay) and 2013 (junior pursuit and relay), adding a sprint silver in 2013.

Competed at the 2011 European Olympic Youth Festival in Liberev, winning one gold and two silver.