France's Martin Fourcade celebrates during venue ceremony of men's 12.5km pursuit event of biathlon at 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympic Games at Alpensia Biathlon Centre, Feb. 12, 2018. Martin Fourcade claimed champion in a time of 32:51.7. (Xinhua/Wang Haofei)

PYEONGCHANG, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- Martin Fourcade of France won the men's biathlon 12.5 km pursuit of the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympic Games at the Alpensia Biathlon Center here on Monday.

The 29-year-old Frenchman became the first biathlete who successfully defended Olympic champion in the pursuit since its introduction to the Olympics at the 2002 Winter Olympic Games.

Fourcade said: "I'm very satisfied because it was a big disappointment yesterday for me. The sprint race was the one I wanted to win. It was the one that I have never won at the Olympics.

"I will probably miss my career without the Olympics in the sprint. I wanted the gold yesterday and I missed, so I was really disappointed and today I am so satisfied I left it as a champion," Fourcade added.

Fourcade, who won the pursuit in Sochi four years ago, clocked 32 minutes and 51.7 seconds to take the gold, beating Sebastian Samuelsson of Sweden to second place in 33:03.7.

The six-time biathlon world cup winner said: "For me, the finish line today was on the shooting range on the last shoot and I am so satisfied that I shot clean because I spent so much energy on shooting to achieve this kind of beautiful shooting. And today I'm really proud and really satisfied to win my third gold in the Olympics."

Benedikt Doll of Germany took the bronze in 33:06.8.

Norway's Johannes Thingnes Bo finished fourth having started in 31st place, one minute and 13 seconds back.