The women’s team coach noted the lack of stability, but at the same time sees a lot of room for progress
Senior coach Ukrainian women’s biathlon team Nikolay Zots summed up the results of the third stage Biathlon World Cup 2023/24which took place in Lenzerheide, Switzerland.
“Of course, I’m pleased. We are still far from stability. But the main thing is that the girls saw that they could compete at this level and believed in themselves. I think we have completed the first stage. In the future we need to continue to progress. It all depends on the girls themselves; the coaching staff will help them. If there is character, there is a desire to grow further, then there will be results.”
“At the meeting, I told them that now they are at a critical moment. We understand that 10th places are too high for us, but the level of 20-30th places is there today. Next, it will depend on where they will move: either towards the top 10, or again fall towards the 50th places. This is a very important psychological moment.”
“We have a few girls, not such a wide choice. But there are still girls whom we want to consider at the Ukrainian Championships in Syanki. If everything goes well, then these four, who ran the mass start, have 90 percent reserved their places in [основной] team. We will choose two more places in Syanki.”
Let us remind you that in the women’s mass start in Lenzerheide, all four Ukrainians finished in the top 30. The best of them, Yulia Jima, showed 19th result. Our team showed the best results at this stage in the pursuit race, where Anastasia Merkushina became tenth, and Irina Petrenko took 12th place.
The fourth stage of the World Cup will be held in Oberhof, Germany, from January 4 to 7, 2024.
Source: Sportarena
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