Bilosyuk: I would like to run like this more often, after this you understand why you stay in biathlon

Ukrainian biathlete Elena Bilosyuk shared her impressions of the mixed relay at the stage World Cup in Czech Nove Mesto.

“Everyone congratulates me, as if I won the World Cup. Of course, it was very nice that I felt fine on the track and could hold on to those girls who were walking in front of me. I knew that I could fight them. And already when I managed to shoot clean while standing, the coaches started shouting that I was going third, I also saw two leaders in front, the girls were also quite close behind me. They bypassed me, I still held on to them, stood in the back, then rolled down the slope. By the way, the skis today were great. And on the final climb, we managed to fight and pass the baton before our rivals.”

“It was nice after the race when Lena Hekki came up and congratulated me on a good last lap. Although I understand that this season is almost the only race when I really managed to stay together with such rivals. Like good old times. And everyone really welcomed us – both ours and foreigners, servicemen and firms.

“I wish I could run like this more often. After such races, you understand why you are still in biathlon.”

“I would rather consider this race a success. Because this year is really difficult for us, in all respects. In every race we fight, we try. Diseases this winter simply haunt us. And you fight with yourself, and with the track, and with the weather – with everything. And with critics. And we still remember the standings of the Nations Cup, quotas … Yes, we could have been fourth, perhaps even third, but we could have been tenth. So far, this is the best relay of the season, so we are happy. And the race was great: emotional and competitive on our part, everyone gave their all absolutely to the maximum. We all cheered for each other and just enjoyed this relay race.

This year, I no longer undertake to comment on any results, especially on personalities. Because we prepared in different ways, almost every one of us, including coaches, fell ill somewhere during the season – and I already twice. This is so sad that I even want to laugh. And now, when there are at least more or less successful races, we are just happy that we won. Although, in fact, before the season they did much more work than what is now reflected in the results. It seems that there is nothing special about that 26th place, but you rejoice at it, because before that it was the sixth or eighth decade.

“As for myself, I can say that I’m just glad that I can compete after the terrible state that was in January-February. I don’t know whether there was a recession, or acclimatization-re-acclimatization, but in fact something went wrong, because the European and World Championships turned out to be one continuous horror and disaster for me. And now, looking at the two races in the New Place, you can take a breath – so it’s still not so bad.

The Ukrainian national team consisting of Yulia Dzhima, Olena Bilosiuk, Artem Pryma and Anton Dudchenko took 6th place in the mixed relay. At the second stage, Bilosyuk went the distance with one extra round and brought the blue-yellows to the 3rd position, 10 seconds behind the leader.

The next stage of the Biathlon World Cup will be held in Östersund, Sweden. The competition will be opened by women’s and men’s individual races, which will be held on March 9.