Wang gets rare China victory, Norway's Svendsen also wins (Roundup)

Dec 6, 2008, 14:25 GMT

Ostersund, Sweden - Wang Chunli stunned the favourites for a rare Chinese biathlon World Cup victory in the women's sprint on Saturday while Norway's Emil Hegle Svendsen dominated the men's race.

The two-time 2008 world champion Svendsen missed one of 10 targets in the shooting range and won the men's 10-kilometres sprint in 25 minutes 42.3 seconds. It was the seventh career win for the 23-year-old.

Tomasz Sikora of Poland trailed by 12.7 seconds in second place, also with one penalty loop. Simon Fourcade of France was third, 28.1 seconds off the pace after hitting all targets.

The 81-time World Cup race winner Ole Einar Bjoerndalen missed one shot and the podium by one tenth of a second in fourth place.

On the women's side, Wang, 25, was the surprise 7.5km winner in 22:48.1 minutes for only the second Chinese success in the sport, following Shumei You in 2001. Wang had never made the top 10 before in the World Cup.

Tora Berger of Norway trailed by 1.4 seconds in second place and World Cup holder Magdalena Neuner of Germany was 4.8 seconds off the pace in third place as all podium finishers were flawless in the shooting range.

Svendsen leads the men's World Cup standings with 108 points from two events and ex-champion Kati Wilhelm of Germany is top on the women's side with 92 points.

The Ostersund events are wrapped up on Sunday with pursuit races for men and women.