site.btaBiathlete Lora Hristova Finishes 14th in Women’s Mass Start at Winter Olympics, Milena Todorova Places 20th

Bulgarian biathlete Lora Hristova has finished 14th in the women’s mass start event at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Antholz-Anterselva. The race was held in continuous heavy snowfall.

Twenty-two-year-old Hristova, bronze medallist in the 15 km individual and seventh in the 10 km pursuit, missed two targets in her final shooting stage and lost her chance to contend for another medal. She finished in 38:40.0 minutes.

The other Bulgarian competitor, 28-year-old Milena Todorova, who placed fourth in the 7.5 km sprint, had five misses and came 20th in 39:14.4 minutes.

For the first time, two Bulgarian women competed in the Olympic mass start event, but they failed to improve on the achievement of Ekaterina Dafovska, who remains the only Bulgarian to have qualified for the discipline at the Winter Games. She finished eighth at its Olympic debut in Turin in 2006.

Dafovska is Bulgaria’s only Winter Olympic champion, having won the 15 km title in Nagano in 1998.

France's 23-year-old Oceane Michelon delivered the fastest final lap to take victory in 37:18.1 minutes, claiming her second title after triumphing in the relay and her third medal overall following silver in the sprint.

Three-time Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic champion Julia Simon of France finished second, 6.6 seconds behind, while Tereza Vobornikova of Czechia placed third, 7.4 seconds off the lead, achieving the best result of her career.