Biathlete Tsvetkov: “I woke up and thought that I should win a medal in the last race of the season”

Russian biathlete Maxim Tsvetkov said that before the mass start of the final stage of the Alfa-Bank Commonwealth Cup in Murmansk, he thought it was time to win a medal this season.

Tsvetkov took second place in the race on Sunday, losing 23.5 seconds Karim Khalili . This result was Tsvetkov’s best of the season.

— Where do you draw your strength at the end of the season?

— The season is difficult. I was looking forward to this race. I woke up in the morning and thought: “The last race of the season, I would like to win a medal.” Although it seemed unrealistic, because the season was difficult. I was getting ready to shoot. I understood that the conditions would be difficult for everyone. We must prepare and prepare.

— The outcome of the race was decided in the last shot. Something went wrong ?

— I was a little nervous and worried. Perhaps because there were no tactics to compete for prizes. It probably had a small impact. I haven’t felt the taste of wrestling in a long time. Karim reacted more calmly and faced the situation. And I was worried.

— How do you judge the season?

– Difficult from an emotional point of view. There are no physical or emotional reserves. You have to rest and you will see what will happen.

— The last race is the mass start, in which you present the best result of the season. There was no deja vu with 2018, when you won gold in the final mass start of the World Cup in Tyumen.

– Was. One by one. I really had the impression that I was going to participate in this mass start. I felt like it was my race. We rode with Karim and fought. Fresh emotions. It’s good to have been able to feel them at the end of the season.

— What did Khalili say upon arrival? You haven’t apologized for winning?

– No, no (laughs). It’s a fight, a sport, that’s why we love biathlon, ”reports the correspondent of , reporting Tsvetkov’s words.