WHISTLER (AFP) - Sweden's Björn Ferry won the men's 12.5km Olympic pursuit title on Tuesday with Austrian Christoph Sumann taking silver and Frenchman Vincent Jay bronze.

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Starting with bib eight, the 31-year-old Ferry claimed his first Olympic medal after hitting the front on the last lap following his fourth shooting session to overhaul pace-setter Jay.

"Today is my day. On the second lap I realised I was skiing really well and I started to believe I could stay with the leaders. In the fourth lap I came out leading with Jay and I saw he was tirng - so I told myself I could win and I attacked," said Ferry, who timed 33min 38.4sec for a margin of 16.5sec.

Jay's medal followed his gold success Saturday in the 10km sprint, which meant he started Tuesday's race first only to finish 28.2sec adrift of Ferry, who dethroned French 2006 champion Vincent Defrasne.

Defrasne could only manage 22nd place.

Ferry's previous main successes comprised a world title in the mixed relay and two World Cup pursuit races.

This win will allow him to steal back a share of the limelight enjoyed by wife Heidi Andersson, who is a multiple armwrestling world title winner.

Sweden's only other men's biathlon gold came 50 years ago, when Klas Lestander won the 20km.

Sumann said silver was a huge result for him.

"I felt really at ease. and I must say the equipment was just perfect, it was absolutely great."

Norwegian fans were glum after top names Emil Hegle Svendsen and five-time Olympic champion Ole Einar Bjoerndalen failed to shine.

Svendsen, triple world champion two years ago and a silver medalist in the sprint, lost his way after a bright start, missing three targets.

Bjoerndalen could only manage seventh, 50sec behind Ferry.

"I had a good skiing performance but missed two (targets) in the last shooting when I felt very tired," said the sport's most decorated athlete with 14 world titles and 91 World Cup race wins.