Vebjørn Sørum (born 11 August 1998) is a Norwegian biathlete. He has competed in the Biathlon World Cup since 2023.[1]

Vebjørn Sørum
Personal information
NationalityNorwegian
Born (1998-08-11) 11 August 1998 (age 25)
Gjøvik, Norway
Sport
CountryNorway
SportBiathlon
Medal record
Men's biathlon
Representing  Norway
European Championships
Gold medal – first place 2023 Lenzerheide 12.5 km pursuit
Gold medal – first place 2023 Lenzerheide Mixed relay
Gold medal – first place 2024 Osrblie 20 km individual
Silver medal – second place 2023 Lenzerheide 10 km sprint
Silver medal – second place 2024 Osrblie Single mixed relay

Career edit

Vebjørn Sørum began his international career in 2017 at the Junior World Championships in Brezno. After finishing 39th in the individual event, 27th in the sprint, and making a remarkable comeback in the pursuit (8th place), he won the world title in the young men's relay, alongside Jorgen Krogsaeter and Sivert Guttorm Bakken.[2]

He was absent from the international competition the following season and made his IBU Cup debut in 2018, finishing 40th in the sprint in Idre. A few weeks later, he stepped onto his first podium after the mixed relay (with Karoline Knotten, Eline Grue, and Frederik Gjesbakk, securing third place).[3] He achieved a sprint-pursuit double at the 2019 Junior World Championships and also earned two silver medals at the Junior European Championships in Sjusjøen (individual and relay).

In the subsequent season, Sørum returned to the IBU Cup competition after the 2020 Junior World Championships in Lenzerheide, winning new medals - silver in the individual and gold in the sprint.[4] He then claimed his first individual podium on the senior circuit (IBU Cup) by winning the super sprint in Martell, surpassing German biathlete Simon Schempp.[5]

After only two races in the IBU Cup during the 2021/2022 winter season, he started the 2022/2023 season on the national team. However, he quickly regained his place in the Norwegian B team and returned to the IBU Cup in January 2023. In excellent form on skis and precise behind the rifle, he achieved 7 individual podiums, including 3 victories in just 12 races. At the 2023 European Championships in Lenzerheide, he won silver in the sprint, gold in the pursuit, and gold in the mixed relay (with Maren Kirkeeide, Karoline Erdal, and Erlend Bjøntegaard).[6][7] He finished 3rd in the overall IBU Cup standings and, following the positive Covid-19 tests of Tarjei Bø, Johannes Thingnes Bø and Sturla Holm Lægreid, had the opportunity to make his World Cup debut in the last two stages of the 2022-2023 season in Östersund and Oslo.[8]

After a 45th-place finish in the individual event, he had joining the Norwegian quartet for the relay. He securing victory with Endre Strømsheim, Johannes Dale-Skjevdal, and Vetle Sjåstad Christiansen, stepping onto the World Cup podium for the first time in his debut stage.[9]

Biathlon results edit

All results are sourced from the International Biathlon Union.

World Cup edit

Individual podiums edit

Season Place Competition Placement
2023–24   Östersund, Sweden Sprint 3rd
2023–24   Antholz-Anterselva, Italy Mass Start 3rd

Relay podiums edit

Season Place Competition Placement
2022–23   Östersund, Sweden Relay 1st

Youth and Junior World Championships edit

5 medals (4 gold, 1 silver)

Year Age Individual Sprint Pursuit Relay
  2017 Brezno-Osrblie 18 39th 27th 8th Gold
  2019 Brezno-Osrblie 20 49th Gold Gold 4th
  2020 Lenzerheide 21 Silver Gold 6th 4th

References edit

  1. ^ "Athlete Statistics - real biathlon". www.realbiathlon.com.
  2. ^ "Brezno 2017: Youth World Champs!". February 27, 2017.
  3. ^ "Junior World Championships, Junior Men 12.5 km Pursuit , Brezno-Osrblie - 2018/2019 results". www.biathlon.com.ua.
  4. ^ "15 km Individual - Lenzerheide - 2019/20". firstskisport.com.
  5. ^ "Martell - IBU Cup - L'exploit de Vebjoern Soerum - Sports Infos - Ski - Biathlon". www.ski-nordique.net. February 13, 2020.
  6. ^ Clapier, Sophie (January 28, 2023). "Biathlon Championnats d'Europe 2023 : Vebjoern Soerum en or sur la poursuite, triplé norvégien". Dicodusport.
  7. ^ Burgaud, Florian (January 29, 2023). "Biathlon | Lenzerheide : la Norvège championne d'Europe du relais mixte pour la troisième fois de suite, les Bleus septièmes | Nordic Mag | N°1 Biathlon | Ski nordique". www.nordicmag.info.
  8. ^ "Sturla Holm Laegreid également absent - Sports Infos - Ski - Biathlon". www.ski-nordique.net. March 6, 2023.
  9. ^ Warnier, Mathieu (March 11, 2023). "Östersund: La Norvège reçue cinq sur cinq".

External links edit