The new season of the Biathlon World Cup starts on November 29
Head coach of the Ukrainian men’s biathlon team Yuraj Sanitra spoke about the reasons for staying to work with our athletes after the start of the war and the uniform of Ukrainian athletes before the new season.
“If we talk about my position before leaving for Ukraine, then I had a lot of information, because since February 24, when Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began, I was in touch with both athletes and coaches, so I understood the situation a little” .
“Of course, making the decision to go to Ukraine at that time was more difficult, not so much for me, because I wanted to meet with the athletes, as for my family. I thank them for being patient during these two weeks when I was in Ukraine. Now I can say that it was the right decision, because we worked out the first good training camp, we did what was necessary. We talked a little not only about training, but there were also general conversations: about the situation in the country, about the personal life of each athlete. Therefore, many important issues were closed at this first training camp.”
“It is clear that this whole situation, and military control on the road, was new to me, but I want to say that I deliberately went for it.”
“Not everyone had the opportunity to train, so the athletes arrived in a different physical condition. It is clear that it was necessary to start the training process as individually as possible. As for morale, all the guys are motivated to train in order to represent their country, Ukraine, at international biathlon competitions as best as possible. It is clear that every day starts with a clean slate for us, every day is special, because the personal situation of the athletes changes, there are many personal problems to be solved, but, at the moment, I will say that the athletes have a good attitude towards training work.”
“If everything is in order with health, then it is clear that I am ready to work until 2026, because I have such a goal. In Antholz at the World Championships in 1995, I started my coaching career as a coach of the Slovak women’s team, and I want to end my coaching career there already at the 2026 Olympic Games.
Six biathletes of the national team: Dmitry Pidruchny, Artem Prima, Bogdan Tsymbal, Anton Dudchenko, Taras Lesyuk, Denis Nasyko and Daria Blashko, who works in the men’s team, are holding the second training camp in Oberhof. The first training camp took place in Syanki (Lviv region).
Recall that Blashko will prepare for the new biathlon season as part of the men’s national team of Ukraine.
Daria decided to resume working with the head coach of the Ukrainian men’s team Juraj Sanitra, under whose guidance she trained in the 2020/21 season, when the Slovak also headed the women’s team.
The new season of the Biathlon World Cup starts on November 29 with a stage in Finnish Kontiolahti. The German Oberhof will host the World Championship in February next year.
Source: Sportarena
