Germany's Erik Lesser: "I targeted a top-15 finish"

German biathlete Erik Lesser has said that he had targeted a top-15 finish in the men's individual 20km pursuit at the 2014 Winter Olympics.

The 25-year-old finished in second place behind France's Martin Fourcade on Thursday to win his country's first biathlon medal at the Sochi Games.

"I had little hope [of winning against Fourcade]," The AP quotes him as saying.

"But I targeted a top-15 finish so it would be inappropriate not to be happy with silver now."

Evgeniy Garanichev of Russia finished third in the event and won the bronze medal.