In Oberhof, our biathletes will still have a pursuit race and a classic relay race
Senior coach Ukrainian women’s biathlon team Nikolay Zots commented on the results of the sprint race at the fourth stage World Cup 2023/24 in German Oberhofand also shared information about future starts.
“The weather was bad, not biathlon weather. But everyone was in the same conditions. In this race I would like to highlight the disappointing starts of Ira Petrenko and Lyuba Kipyachenkova. As for Lyuba, in such weather the last group of athletes can be called more likely participants in the competition than contenders for high places. So Kipyachenkova ended up in a group where there was no chance. As for Ira, I can’t yet name the reasons for this result; it’s a mystery to me. All the other girls are great. If Jim’s Julia had done a better job at standing shooting, there would have been an even different result.”
“All three qualifiers will start in the pursuit race. We already had a little break, we need to get into shape. It’s like coming out of a vacation – it takes time to get into the groove. We needed rest, but now we need to get back into the competitive rhythm. Therefore, we will start.”
“If everything goes well, then the composition [на эстафету] will include: Julia Jima, Nastya Merkushina, Kristina Dmitrenko and, to this day, Ira Petrenko. But first you need to establish the reason for this result in the sprint. For now, the only question remains regarding Ira. If there are any problems with her, then we have spare ones, we will connect Elena Gorodnaya. As for the other three girls, there are no questions, as long as everyone is healthy.”
“There will be big changes in the lineup before Ruhpolding. The changes that will follow Oberhof are planned in advance, this is not a decision based on the results of Oberhof. After the relay in Ruhpolding, three girls will go to the heights to prepare for the European and World Championships.”
Let us remind you that today in the women’s sprint the best result among Ukrainians was shown by Anastasia Merkushina – 27th place. Yulia Dzhima and Kristina Dmitrenko finished in the top 40, thanks to which they also qualified for the pursuit race. At the same time, Irina Petrenko took only 70th place.
Tomorrow, January 6, the pursuit races will take place in Oberhof. Classic relay races will take place on January 7.
The fifth stage of the World Cup will take place in Ruhpolding, Germany next week, from January 10 to 14.
Source: Sportarena
I’m Todderic Kirkman, a journalist and author for athletistic. I specialize in covering all news related to sports, ranging from basketball to football and everything in between. With over 10 years of experience in the industry, I have become an invaluable asset to my team. My ambition is to bring the most up-to-date information on sports topics around the world.
