Hāwea Flat biathlete Campbell Wright (20) is New Zealand’s first World Junior Biathlon champion after winning the 10km sprint in the IBU Junior World event.

Pisa Alpine Charitable Trust (owner of the Snow Farm in the Cardrona Valley where Campbell trains) trustee John Burridge described the win as “beyond belief”.

Campbell “shed a tear as the NZ national anthem… played for the first time at an International Biathlon Union event”, John said.

He had arrived at the starting block “looking all business”, he added.

There were perfect weather conditions in Shchuchinsk, Kazakhstan, with sunshine, little wind and a fast track as Campbell lined up against 93 other competitors.

IBU reported that Campbell put in a flawless performance at the shooting range and had the fastest time across the tracks. 

His gold medal is the first ever IBU Medal for an athlete from New Zealand and the Southern Hemisphere.

"Honestly, last year I shot very bad on the last shooting and it cost me the race, and I just told myself ‘Campbell, if you muck up Junior World Champs again…’ - yeah, I just didn't wanna muck up cause it's not a nice feeling,” he told media.

His final time for the 10km sprint was 23.38.0. Second was Jan Gunka (Poland) with +35.4; and third Maxime Germain (USA) with +46.6.

“Campbell's finish was emotional and clearly he had given everything in the last part of the course,” John said.

Campbell asked to send messages to his parents and siblings and a special mention of Mary Lee, the former owner of the Snow Farm “and the reason this was possible, incredible as it seems”, John said.

Campbell will start first in the 12.5km Pursuit event tomorrow with a 35 second lead. The race will be covered on the Biathlon World website with a start time of 10.20pm.