MILAN

Suvi Minkkinen became the first Finnish woman to win an Olympic biathlon medal, taking bronze in the women’s pursuit at Milano-Cortina.

Starting the pursuit in sixth after finishing sixth in the sprint, she shot flawlessly while others faltered.

Minkkinen began the final ski leg in second place; Norway’s Maren Kirkeeide passed her, but she held off other challengers, with France’s Lou Jeanmonnot finishing 15.1 seconds behind.

“I feel really good. I executed a perfect race as planned and achieved a level of focus that is hard to reach—my reward is this Olympic bronze,” Minkkinen said in a release by the Finnish Olympic Committee.

Aged 31 and competing in her third Olympics, Minkkinen had previously finished sixth individually and as part of Finland’s mixed relay team at these Games.

This bronze follows her previous World Championship sprint bronze last winter.

Minkkinen’s medal is Finland’s seventh Olympic biathlon medal—and first for a woman—with all prior medals won by men.

The last was Ville Räikkönen’s 1998 Nagano sprint bronze, 28 years ago.