Martin Fourcade overcame a sixth place start and 14-second deficit to win the first gold medal for France in the Sochi Olympic Games on Monday in men's biathlon pursuit.

His victory also continues a French tradition in the event. A Frenchman has won gold in the pursuit at the past three Olympic Winter Games and a male French biathlete has also won a medal in the event on each of the four occasions it has contested.

The course proved challenging Monday night with a number of athletes falling in slushy conditions on one of the course's banking hairpin turns, but Fourcade's final lap was flawless. With no other competitor even close to him as he entered the arena, he waved his arms and blew a kiss to the crowd before crossing the line and popping his skis off on the run.

"On the skis I was like a boxer, it was a good fight," Fourcade said after the race. "I felt confident. I felt unbeatable."

Fourcade missed just one shot in the four rounds of shooting en route to his victory. After plugging off five flawless shots in the fourth and final round of shooting, Fourcade took a moment to revel despite still having a 2.5km loop to ski.

Ole Einar Bjoerndalen of Norway, who equalled the 12 Olympics medals record won by compatriot Bjoern Daehlie last Saturday, failed in his quest to win a new record as he finished with a fourth place.

The win in men's 10km sprint on Saturday gave Bjoerndalen a slight head start on the rest of the field. But the 40-year-old Norwegian, who is competing in his sixth Olympic Games, missed shots and he was forced to ski 150-meter penalty loops and fall behind the lead group.

"I think I had the chance to win. When I missed the shot, I knew that was the end for me. I was not strong enough on the shooting," said Bjoerndalen. "I concentrated on the fourth place. It was clear that I couldn't have come third."

Ondrej Moravec of the Czech Republic took the silver while Fourcade's teammate Jean Guillaume Beatrix finished with bronze.