Squamish-based biathlete Megan Tandy found “that snap in my legs” on Tuesday (Feb. 16) that wasn't there in her first Olympic race three days earlier and moved up 10 positions to finish 36th in the women's 10-kilometre pursuit race at Whistler Olympic Park.

Tandy, who hit all 10 of her shots in the shooting range in her Games debut on Saturday (Feb. 13) in the women's 7.5 km sprint event, hit 19 of her 20 shots on Tuesday. Starting in 46th position, she missed one of her first five shots on Tuesday and fell back to 52nd, but then shot clean in her three subsequent trips to the range.

She also had a better ski in Tuesday's race.

“I felt way better on the course today,” Tandy said. “I didn't quite have that snap in my legs for the sprint but today I felt motivated and strong,”

“I'd say our (Canadian team wax technicians) had the right skis and did an awesome job today.”

Germany's Magdalena Neuner, 23, the two-time world champion, brought home her first Olympic gold medal on Tuesday, using her strong skiing skills to overcome sprint winner Anastazia Kuzmina of Slovakia. Kuzmina was just 6.3 seconds behind Neuner as the two came out of the fourth and final trip to the shooting range, but could not catch Neuner in the final 2.4 kilometres and took the silver, 12.3 seconds behind Neuner.

France's Marie-Laurie Brunet took the bronze.

Tandy, who grew up in Prince George and moved to Squamish a few months ago specifically to train at Whistler Olympic Park, said the other Canadian biathletes were excited to watch teammate Jean-Philippe Le Guellec compete in Tuesday afternoon's men's 12.5 km pursuit race. Le Guellec was to start sixth and had a chance to be Canadašs first-ever Olympic medalist in biathlon.

Biathlon Canada coach Geret Coyne said he couldnšt have asked much more of Tandy on Tuesday.

“One miss is excellent, and she skied really strong and moved up, so you've got to be happy.”

While Tandy said she was proud to be the only Canadian to have qualified for the pursuit, she added, “That's a bit disappointing because I have talented, strong teammates who were capable of being in the field today.

“As a team we expect to be strong and have a good showing in the relay,” she said of the women's relay event that takes place on Tuesday, Feb. 23.