Biathlon-Italy's Wierer brings down curtain on career with last hurrah

ANTERSELVA, Italy, Feb 21 - It may not have turned into the fairytale ending that Italian biathlon fans craved, but local favourite Dorothea Wierer delighted them with another inspiring display in the final race of her career at the Milano Cortina Games on Saturday.

The medals in the women's mass start went to winner Oceane Michelon and runner-up Julia Simon of France with Tereza Vobornikova picking up a surprise bronze for the Czech Republic, but for the locals in the crowd, all that mattered was that Wierer got to lead the field on her last dance at the Antholz-Anterselva Biathlon Arena.

"I was thinking that - at least I was leading some meters (in the race), it was so nice," Wierer told Reuters, laughing heartily.

"It was really nice today - I mean, I was a little nervous because I was afraid that it would be too hard. I mean, it was really hard, but it was also nice. I felt pretty good today on skis, and we had good skis, and it was good shooting, and I was just trying to enjoy it."

Long the "prima donna", or first lady, of the sport in Italy, Wierer went to school a stone's throw from where the biathlon competitions at the Milano Cortina Games took place, and Saturday's race was a fitting end to a career in which she won one silver and three bronze medals at the Olympics.

After helping to steer her team to a silver medal in the opening mixed relay race,  Wierer called on Italian TV to get behind the sport and in her last race she did her best to give them another highlight.

"Somehow I made biathlon a little bit bigger in Italy - not only me, but also my teammates - but also, I was trying to get the exposure (on TV)," she said.

Even more fittingly, the 35-year-old enjoyed a few precious minutes at the front of the pack during the second lap of a thrilling race, and the whole crowd cheered wildly as she crossed the line in a creditable fifth place, 30 seconds behind winner Michelon.

"There were so many emotions in the last year, so, so many up and downs, and I'm really grateful for all the people I met. For me, I mean, I had the chance to win some medals and to do some really good results," she said.

"But in the end, for me, it's more important the people I met, and all the affection I get from the fans. That for me isworth more than the medals." REUTERS