Middle distance gold for Alexandersson and Kyburz
Swiss runner Matthias Kyburz is the new world champion in the middle distance! He managed to finish the 5.4 km long course in a very demanding terrain of constant rock fields and granite boulders in 39:31, more than four minutes behind the expected winning time. “It’s been five years since the last individual medal and to win again after this long time is just amazing. I told myself today that I have to be really strict with the map reading as it is a technical terrain. Sometimes in the control circle, I felt like the windscreen wiper, looking for the control, but I never lost the grip,” said the owner of five gold WOC medals. He beat the silver medalist Gustav Bergman from Sweden by 40 seconds and Ukrainian Ruslan Glibov in the third position by 47 seconds.
Even though Tove Alexandersson like many other female athletes made a mistake at the beginning of the tricky course she managed to close the gap very quickly and showed who is the queen of WOC 2021 receiving the third gold medal in a row. “I had a really tough start, I did two quite big mistakes so I had to fight mentally as well to stay focused and positive. I really liked today’s terrain, it´s so challenging and tough physically and technically. I’m really happy and satisfied with how I did today,” commented on her performance the Swedish star. Norwegian Andrine Benjaminsen ran the race of her life and took the silver medal finishing 2:21 behind Alexandersson. Simona Aebersold from Switzerland won a close fight for the bronze medal over Kamilla Steiwer from Norway.
- Matthias Kyburz (SUI) – 39:31 🥇
- Gustav Bergman (SWE) – 40:11 🥈
- Ruslan Glibov (UKR) – 40:18 🥉
- Lucas Basset (FRA) – 41:36
- Kasper Harlem Fosser (NOR) – 41:38
- Eskil Kinneberg (NOR) – 41:40
- Tove Alexandersson (SWE) – 38:12🥇
- Andrine Benjaminsen (NOR) – 40:33🥈
- Simona Aebersold (SUI) – 41:33 🥉
- Kamilla Steiwer (NOR) – 41:35
- Sara Hagström (SWE) – 41:46
- Lisa Risby (SWE) – 42:10