Shawna Pendry closed her Olympic campaign on a high after shooting straight in Italy.
The 23-year-old had admitted disappointment in her firing on Olympic debut during the women's 15km individual event earlier in the week, missing four out of her last five targets.
But upon returning to the Anterselva Biathlon Arena for the 7.5km sprint event on Saturday, Pendry's aim was back on top form, missing just two targets in two rounds of shooting.
Despite her marksmanship, Pendry struggled on a tough cross-country section of the course and ultimately crossed the line in 89th place, four minutes and 47 seconds behind gold in a time of 25:27.8.
"Yeah it was really tough today and we were always going," she said.
"I really gave it my all but it just wasn't enough today. That's life.
"The shooting went way better, I was a bit calmer and ready for it. I did miss one on each which is still a bit too much but it's so much better than the individual so I am happy."
A maiden Olympic Games in Italy ended with the women's sprint race for Pendry, missing out on qualification to the pursuit after not finishing inside the top 60 athletes.
Following an 88th place finish in the 15km individual and 89th place in sprint, it is not necessarily placing that Pendry was hoping for at the Games, but performances that have helped her to soak up experience she has never had before as she looks ahead to her future in the sport.
After all, the Olympics really are a different kind of beast.
"It was great and I'm really proud of what I've done here," she added.
"It has been a great experience with so many people around on the track cheering. It was so much fun.
"I will be back in the years to come."
Pendry spent the first four years of her life in Matlock before her family moved to Font-Romeu in the Pyrenees, and it was there that her love for winter sport was fostered.
With the next Winter Games slated for the French Alps in 2030, it means that Pendry will fancy her chances at competing at a 'second home' Games in four years time.
But wherever she is competing in the world, the biathlete is just proud to be flying the flag for Great Britain.
“When I was little I properly lost my British side because I was always at school and all my friends were French,” she said.
“These last years racing more and more for Great Britain I have found that British side again which is quite cool.
“It is more of a feeling and being proud of it. At the start I was the British girl and in France people didn’t respect that.
“We are starting to become something and you can be proud of racing for Great Britain in biathlon.”
Sportsbeat 2026