Biathlon team at the World Cup. The composition of the Russian national team for the Biathlon World Championships has been determined
Wisdom to the coaching staff, good luck to the guys! Let everything work out great for us this time!
I very much doubt that those who run the team will be put in the mixed relay. Rather, they will give a chance to run to those who are not participating in the team. There are no old SEs running.
About Morosha, she was blown up immediately after the European Championships. What to expect now is clear beyond the World Cup.
Montenegrin, in terms of staff composition, I agree with you 100%.
Anyuta, this is a sport and you can’t be sure of everything. I’m only confident in Volkov (and he can even mess up once), but his move is not for the first relay, where everyone will still be fresh. Akimova may miss, but so far she and Irina have been confidently shooting, just like the guys. If Podchufarova is driven or saves herself in the first race, then the World Cup will be over for her. Sleptsova shoots slowly, is afraid of mistakes in the relay, but shoots faster in the sprint. Glazyrin is possible, but will not recover for the sprint.
The strongest athletes at the moment should run SE, regardless of their “tournament position”, and only TS knows this. The overall ranking in the KN is at stake.
Shipulin and Babikov became friends site
Yuri, I also like this lineup, it is the strongest, but usually our girls mess up, and the guys have to tear out the veins. And they want, you know Shipulin’s dream, to win personal gold.
SE-Akimov, Starykh, Tsvetkov, Shipulin. If Tanya doesn't fall, we're on the podium.
Shurminator,))))) a worthy answer)).
Elen, well, we guys are no strangers to stressing over you)
Shurminator, in short, whatever one may say, the female part of the staff remains unpredictable. Hence another question - is it worth straining the strongest team of men in this situation?)
Elen, of course there are questions. But Glazyrina also failed the relay race, and this year she only ran one. She’s not great at running, although she ran her stage perfectly. At personal distances the move is very weak. This option is also very unpredictable.
And Akimova is unconditionally number 1 in the team, although she is not always stable. Both options are actually risky. Anyone can fail the stage. In this case, you need to choose the objectively strongest biathlete. Only with such a lineup there are real chances for prizes. This means an opportunity to get into the top 5 of the Nations Cup. I think the coaches keep this in mind.
Shurminator, looked good in her only relay race at the Glazyrin KM. I just think. Agree, Tanya has questions about the staff.
Elen, who do you propose to replace the 10th total number with? Someone from the 4th ten?)
Marina Apatity, yes, yes, I forgot about the elephant)).
Igor, absolutely right.
The heart is one of the organs that is not subject to regulation or influence from the brain.
Well, maybe Buddhist monks know how to regulate the rhythm of the heart. Not by breathing. Moreover, they learn this through breathing, to control directly their heart.
But for ordinary people, the heart automatically works and works, and therefore, even when the brain is dead and the person is actually dead, almost all organs turn off and fail, but the heart works to the last.
But at the same time, the heart wears out and ages faster than any other organ. While other organs can be saved or restored with medication, the heart cannot yet.
Shurminator, I agree that this is a very strong composition. Although Akimova has not shown herself in the relay races yet and, perhaps, it makes sense to replace her.
Yuri, I also believe that this year we have more than ever chances for mixed prizes. And only in the case of the strongest team - Starykh, Akimov, Tsvetkov, Shipulin.
Otherwise there will be a drain.
V.M.
Shooting accuracy in biathlon is affected by heartbeats, and you must hold your breath when firing.
On the fifth shot, the frequency of impacts drops, and the force increases (you can check this for yourself - squat to a pulse of 150, and stop, hold your breath). Moreover, an arrhythmia appears in the beats (the frequency drops, then suddenly it will strike three times more often), so they stand, aiming between the arrhythmic heartbeats. Garanichev even squatted on the counter to stabilize his heart.
Mixed, if Starykh and Akimova, then Loginov and Shipulin.
With other options, at least someone is with Volkov.
Sprint.
Loginov, Shipulin, Malyshko, Garanichev.
Independent.
Eliseev, Babikov, Tsvetkov, Volkov.
Relay race.
Stage 1 - Tsvetkov.
Stage 2 - Loginov or Eliseev, depending on the result of personal races.
Stage 3 - Babikov or Malyshko depending on the result in personal races.
In general, these four are as of stage 2 and 3.
Stage 4 - Shipulin.
Chess player, Elen, i.e. you have already leaked the SE in advance, supposedly nothing will happen to us. And at personal races you are already handing out podiums. I don’t agree, because we need positivity from the first race and the strongest should participate. And if we reason that Akimova will not recover tomorrow, then Kaisa will not give the victory to anyone with one mistake, and she will not run in the SE. SE is the main beginning of the World Cup and you need to count on prizes and consider it a success, and then luck will help.
Montenegrin, welcome back, recidivist.))
Nata, I still agree. He sits, reads everything in Belarus and takes notes...
I drank tea and moved on. It’s good that at least today no one gives lectures about Russophobes and liberals...
Chess player, does Uncle Yakushev agree with you?
Elen, I agree with Garanichev, don’t let him near the main staff and within range of a cannon shot. Let Loginov practice at the World Championships in relay races; he’s definitely not suitable for the World Championships.
What do you think has a stronger effect on shooting accuracy: fatigue or jitters (morale)? :)
Yuri, if you visit the site, I have repeatedly stated my position on Garanichev - he is not a relay runner, which is confirmed EVERY time at the GS.
Loginov, in theory, can be tried, although he also gave a serious “hint” of weakness. If Lyosha and Dima had not left, this would have been a reinforced concrete “above average” option, which was needed to support the girls.
The strongest line-up to support the girls (and they need it) will be Tsvetkov-Shipulin. Is that all they need? Before the bunch? If necessary, let them run.
Gone.
Anyuta, Eliseev-Loginov, I agree, this is also a normal option. But I would still save Leshka for IS and the main staff.
Yuri, it’s not a fact that the pair of Garanichev and Loginov will run better than Volkov and Malyshko from the point of view of the relay. Garanichev and Loginov are roulette. Both M and B are really tired, they need to rest.
And how many athletes lack “just” one accurate shot? :)
Elen, Can you explain your position regarding Garanichev and Loginov? The comrades I named will each bring a minute to your protégés in the relay race. By proposing your candidacies, you assume in advance that our guys will lose to Ukraine, the Czech Republic, Italy, not to mention the norms. Is your position still not clear? In general, do you support Russia or just pure “sport”?
Chess player, why don’t you like the option Wolf - Loginov, then Eliseev - Loginov. Matvey should also be given a race.
Anyuta, in this SE there is nothing bright for us at all, so we need to set the composition from a testing point of view. If the composition on SE imposes a fight, then it will be good.
VM, “the increase in speed.. is too high” - not at all. Remember how the Tour brought 20-25 seconds on the last lap. These are the seconds that some people lack before winning/a podium, but for others they bring victory/a podium.
And if you count 20-25 seconds from each circle? The tram stop is coming out :-) The mutant mice are resting for the last lap :-)
Nata, I wrote it above.)
Chess player, naturally Babikov will run the team.
Then the option is Wolf - Loginov. If Matvey is in shape, and Lesha has not recovered, you can Eliseev - Loginov.
I personally don’t want to see Garanichev in relay races. Let him run personal races. Zhenya is an excellent athlete, but he is not friends with the staff.
Anyuta, let Babikov run the team, he deserved it after all, and if SE runs, he may not be able to recover for the team.
Elen, but I like the option Loginov - Babikov, or if Lesha is rested, then Wolf - Loginov,)
I also think that there is no point in fielding our strongest guys Shipulin and Tsvetkov. They still have a lot of races to run. And I would like medals from them in personal races)) Well, in the men’s team, of course))
Elen, Malyshko and Volkov will not fully recover by SE, they ran the race on 04.02, you yourself said that they were already tortured then. They must recover to the main staff.
Chess player, I would put Volkov and Malyshko. In any case, this is better than Garanichev and Loginov in staffs. The main thing is to rest.
But, I think TS will have a third option.)
1st race - mixed relay. I propose not to deploy the main strike forces, but to save them. For women, it is necessary to nominate those who do not run the sprint (the next day, 02/10/17), otherwise they will not recover. Let the TS decide who exactly runs. Loginov and Garanichev should be nominated as men. Loginov’s level is not clear and the level is not clear primarily from a psychological point of view. Therefore, it must be tested immediately in a real battle. Garanichev should be put out, because he was purposefully prepared for the World Cup, to see if they paid Gross the money in vain, after all, he looked good at the European Championship. All this reasoning takes into account that the team will run Shipulin, Tsvetkov, Babikov and the 4th participant - the choice of Malyshko or Garanichev, and then Loginov will run IG.
Of course it does. Everything influences. Not only physical but also moral state affects shooting. Our dispute is only about the degree of influence of one or another factor on results in biathlon. So, the degree of influence of doping (prohibited drugs) on results in biathlon (primarily increased speed), in my opinion, is too much overestimated. That's all.
Vladimir N., On Saturday evening I had to re-register the router in order to open the site, otherwise they kept saying that they couldn’t find it
And in my opinion, the “anti-viper” filter works quite well on the site. By the way, my congratulations to KAI on the successful treatment of “split personality”!) I wish you further success).
The filter against the viper does not work well yet, the administration of the prankster bears apologizes.))
Vladimir N., I read three times about children over 16). It just arrived)).
zakol, Same thing.
Elen, Little Blue for children over 16 years old (these are children, at that age I considered myself quite an adult), I found only this.
Men: Anton Babikov, Alexey Volkov, Evgeny Garanichev, Matvey Eliseev, Alexander Loginov, Dmitry Malyshko, Maxim Tsvetkov, Anton Shipulin.
Women: Tatyana Akimova, Daria Virolainen, Ekaterina Glazyrina, Olga Podchufarova, Svetlana Sleptsova, Irina Starykh.
“Today we announced an expanded composition of the team to prepare for the World Cup. Let me remind you that according to the rules, we can only enter four athletes for each distance in Hochfilzen.
We have already clearly formed an opinion on the mixed relay. We plan to field the strongest lineup for each race, but now we do not have the right to reveal our trump cards. We will carefully monitor the condition of the athletes at every stage of preparation.
The composition for the World Championships was formed based on the performance of athletes at the January stages and the European Championships. The men's team has a clear leader - Anton Shipulin. Young guys were added to it. Maxim Tsvetkov and Anton Babikov have already proven themselves well. The team also includes the experienced Dmitry Malyshko.
Following the results of the European Championship, we included Alexander Loginov and Evgeniy Garanichev in the men's team. They performed brilliantly in Poland, especially Loginov. As for Alexey Slepov, you need to understand that he was very ill after the New Year. Now he is not showing his normal speed, so Alexey is preparing for the next stage of the IBU Cup.
Alexey Volkov is improving functionally, but he had no problems in shooting. He performed well in the relay at the World Cup in Ruhpolding. We understand that this athlete can be useful to us. The World Cup will be long, anything can happen.
Matvey Eliseev was included in the squad with consideration for the future. Before the New Year he performed excellently, after December - a little worse. But, for example, in the relay race in Ruhpolding he showed himself very well - he shot twice out of five. We need to consider this athlete for the future.
The women's team consists of six athletes. Three of them - Tatyana Akimova, Olga Podchufarova, Ekaterina Glazyrina - were selected based on the results of the January stages of the World Cup. After the European Championship, the coaching staff decided that Svetlana Sleptsova, Irina Starykh and Daria Virolainen would also prepare for the World Championship. If Svetlana Mironova performs well at the upcoming stage of the IBU Cup in Slovakia, then she will also be included in the roster for the World Championships.”
For the last three days, immediately after the end of the European Championships, the biathlon community has been waiting for the announcement of the composition of the Russian team. The RBU board approached the issue thoroughly, decided to weigh the pros and cons and make the optimal decision. How logical it turned out is for you to judge, but for convenience, we divided all the candidates into groups.
Result on the scoreboard
Those who have significant results in the World Cup have nothing to worry about. We are talking about four biathletes who have been stable for two months, who were in the top 15 at the World Championships and are clear contenders for participation in the mass start. Anton Shipulin, Anton Babikov and Tatyana Akimova even have one victory each in the World Cup this season. Maxim Tsvetkov was second in December, and in January he slowed down somewhat, but he is distinguished by enviable stability and reliable performances in the relay. Over the past two years, he has finally transformed from a promising ex-junior into a fighter who is part of the team’s core.
There are questions, but there is also law
Three more people fulfilled the formal selection criteria, but their performance could not be called flawless, and therefore their stay on the team could hardly be called one hundred percent. It also happened to us that people were judged not only according to formal criteria. We are talking about athletes whose current form cannot be called impeccable: Ekaterina Glazyrina, Olga Podchufarova and Dmitry Malyshko. Glazyrina has been stable throughout the season, but this stability rarely goes beyond the third dozen. The decisive factor for her inclusion in the team was the excellent relay race in Antholz.
Olga Podchufarova never regained optimal condition, and at times it seems that her hibernation, which began in the second half of last season, is still continuing. A breath of optimism was added by the individual race in Antholz, which showed that the patient was most likely alive. Finally, Dmitry Malyshko called into question his participation with an unclear performance at the European Championships, where he looked worse than many other competitors. At the World Championships, he will most likely be destined for the role of a reserve, although not including him in the lineup would be dishonest in relation to the letter of the law.
In the situation with the inclusion of Alexander Loginov and Irina Starykh in the squad, any option would be a losing proposition for the SBR.
Whose public is more important?
In the situation with the inclusion of Alexander Loginov and Irina Starykh in the squad, any option would be a losing proposition for the SBR. If you follow the selection rules and the sports principle and include athletes in the lineup, this will cause another attack of hysteria among fighters for the purity of sports, who, as I sometimes think, if given free rein, will vote for the death of dopers by hanging. On the other hand, how to explain to the sports and fan public in Russia that this is subtle diplomacy, and not ordinary cowardice, which, moreover, can result in a shortage of medals. For example, do you have an ironclad option as to who can fully replace Loginov and Starykh in the relay? As a result, neither the provocations of Martin Fourcade nor the upcoming IBU congress shook the determination of the coaching staff to follow the sports principle. Loginov and Starykh are going to Hochfilzen, which means it will be hot there.
Unsettle. Why Loginov should go to the World Championships
Alexander Loginov must go to the World Cup to strengthen our team and prove that blackmail and ultimatums are ineffective.
Obligated by the European Championship
No one could guarantee a place in the squad before the European Championships for the famous biathletes Evgeny Garanichev and Svetlana Sleptsova. It was necessary to show the result to order in Poland, which they both managed. Evgeniy made an incredible comeback in the pursuit and pulled out a super mix with Daria Virolainen trembling at the turn, and Sleptsova collected a full set of awards and climbed to the podium in each of the four races. As with the leaders at the World Cup, there can be no two opinions on the inclusion of these athletes in the lineup.
Evgeniy made an incredible comeback in the pursuit and pulled out a super mix with Daria Virolainen trembling at the turn, and Sleptsova collected a full set of awards and climbed to the podium in each of the four races.
I command the power of coaching decisions
Matvey Eliseev and Alexey Volkov did not fulfill the selection conditions and, strictly speaking, did not qualify for the World Championship. However, even in Ruhpolding, Volkov showed himself to be a reliable relay athlete, and taking into account Garanichev’s chronic “illness” and the incomprehensible situation with Loginov, he cannot but be included in the lineup. deserved a bonus for stability at the IBU Cup, and, apparently, so that her titled mother would not rock the boat before the championship. Logically, she is destined for a reserve role on the team. Also, Matvey Eliseev, who failed the January stages, but looked good in December, became a reserve for the second year in a row. The coaches hope that he will come to his senses by the World Cup.
Just a little was not enough
Several more athletes were left out of the final application, although they were considered as candidates for the team. According to some information, European Championship medalist Alexey Slepov does not agree to the role of a reserve and prefers to compete at the IBU Cup. As for the young Ulyana Kaisheva and Victoria Slivko, who were given a chance at the January World Cup stages, these are still raw athletes who are not ready for big battles. It’s a pity that the Olympics are in a year and it was not possible to test the youth in this cycle. The same applies to Svetlana Mironova, who did not go to Hochfilzen due to unstable shooting, although she looked no worse than Virolainen in Europe.
The Russian team, of course, will start too. Without Shipulin, Babikov and Tsvetkov. Without Akimova, Virolainen and Podchufarova. The new selection rules for the Russian national team for the World Cup no longer allow us to ask the question “How did these people get on the team?”
Everything is based on sports principles. And those for whom, it seemed, it was time to slowly finish, like Malyshko or Slepov, and those for whom, it seemed, it was time to start a long time ago, like Vasnetsova.
In anticipation of the first race of the new World Cup, we are analyzing the composition of the Russian team - who already knows the taste of big victories and who you can rely on, who took the chance and showed off in qualifying, and who can have a big and bright future in biathlon.
These people are now on the Russian biathlon team. No need to be scared
Asthmatic without therapeutic exception. Acquitted by WADA for meldonium. 27-year-old debutante. All of them are new faces in the Russian team.
Russian men's team
31 years old, place of birth - Sosnovy Bor, Leningrad region.
Highest achievement: 2014 Olympic gold in the relay.
Signature discipline: mass start, pursuit race.
According to the results of the World Cup of the 2017/18 season, he took 50th place.
The winner of the best result at the qualifying starts – 40 points.
One of the best biathletes in the country and the main relay fighter in 2012-16. The Olympic gold relay was also won with his help. Malyshko’s finest hour was the World Cup stage in Oberhof in 2013 - three victories in three races. Sometimes it seems that Dmitry is still chasing the ghosts of Oberhof - he really wants to return to those golden days.
Dmitry basically failed last season. It seemed that things were coming to the end of his career, but no - at the selection in Kontiolahti, Malyshko deservedly became the best. Maybe Dmitry can still return to his former heights and become the leader of the team?
26 years old, place of birth – Saratov.
Highest achievement: bronze medalist at the 2017 World Championships in the mixed relay.
According to the results of the World Cup of the 2017/18 season, he took 23rd place.
The winner of the second result at the qualifying starts – 30 points.
At the height of his career, Loginov was brought down by a doping scandal, because of which he was forced to miss two years. But at the Olympics in Sochi he could have competed in the relay: he already had two victories in team races, one of which was later annulled.
In the 2017/18 season, Loginov fully returned to the Russian national team, and even came very close to medals a couple of times. Overall, Alexander is quite stable. And if he can properly prepare for the season from a physical point of view, then the fans will be happy.
30 years old, place of birth – Novoilinsky, Perm region.
Highest achievement: bronze medalist at the 2014 Olympics in the individual race.
Signature discipline: pursuit race.
According to the results of the World Cup of the 2017/18 season, he took 31st place.
The winner of the third result at the qualifying starts is 24 points.
Garanichev was once considered an athlete who was able to compete for the title of team leader with Anton Shipulin. When Evgeniy is in shape, he is capable of much. But Garanichev demonstrated his best readiness in bursts, and last season was his worst in seven years. The results of the races in Kontiolahti give fans cautious optimism about Garanichev, but to draw conclusions, it’s worth waiting for the start of the World Cup.
There is no need to be ashamed of your capabilities. What awaits the Russian biathlon team
Troubled times of Russian biathlon? Maybe. But they will not prevent our team from winning a medal at the very first stage of the World Cup. Or medals?
31 years old, place of birth – Vladimir-30, Vladimir region.
Highest achievement: three-time European champion.
Crown discipline: sprint.
Slepov’s characteristics as a biathlete are extremely simple: fast, but not too accurate. For many years Slepov has been struggling with his shooting, but to no avail. Therefore, Alexey did not appear in the first team at the World Cup for quite a long time - since March 2016.
I want to believe in a miracle, but it’s unlikely that anything will change. Slepov had a great first qualifying race, and therefore scored good points and made it into the main team. But if he doesn’t show decent shooting or doesn’t surprise with medals, he’ll most likely return to the IBU Cup.
25 years old, place of birth – Zelenograd, Moscow.
Highest achievement: winner of the European Championship - 2016.
Crown discipline: sprint.
According to the results of the World Cup of the 2017/18 season, he took 38th place.
At the qualifying starts in Kontiolahti he scored 22 points.
Russian fans have long been waiting for something more from Matvey. It has potential, but it cannot be fully realized. There were two silver relays, there was sixth place in the mass start in December 2016. But this is clearly not enough.
The 2017/18 season for Eliseev turned out to be neither good nor bad – it was working. For some reason, it seems that the coming year could be similar. But deep down I want to believe that Matvey will break through.
24 years old, place of birth – Grodno, Belarus.
Highest achievement: winner of the European Championship 2015.
Crown discipline: sprint.
Did not participate in the 2017/18 World Cup.
At the qualifying starts in Kontiolahti he scored 21 points.
The only new face in the Russian men's team. Eduard did not compete at the World Cup, but at the IBU Cup he has already managed to cut his teeth: last year he completed two races in the prizes.
You shouldn’t expect a quick breakthrough from Latypov at the World Cup. He definitely won’t be able to compete with the leaders right away. But if you give him a chance, with the support of experienced team leaders, the athlete will eventually be able to strengthen the not-so-powerful team of the Russian team.
The President of the World Biathlon broke his leg before the start of the World Cup. It's a sign?
Even Dmitry Guberniev was tired of the old things. Everyone wants something new, and it will be this season. Very soon.
Russian women's team
31 years old, place of birth – Kurgan.
Highest achievement: four-time European champion.
Signature discipline: pursuit, individual race.
The owner of the best result at the qualifying starts – 33 points.
She missed out on the old ones because of a doping scandal, not even for two, but for three whole years, but still managed to return to the highest (by Russian, of course, standards) level. The main victories: two medals at two consecutive stages remained somewhere far away - at the end of 2013. But Irina’s speed is still quite decent, she has plenty of experience, so you can safely put her in the relay race.
25 years old, place of birth - Guryevsk, Kemerovo region.
Crown discipline: sprint.
She did not participate in the 2017/18 World Cup.
The owner of the second result at the qualifying starts - 27 points.
One of the main surprises of the new system of selection for the national team. In the IBU Cup in the spring of 2018, Pavlova started four times and was in the top ten all four times, and even won one sprint. Maybe Pavlova will be able to surprise everyone at the World Cup? There are prerequisites!
27 years old, place of birth – Novopavlovka, Chita region.
Highest achievement: bronze medalist at the Junior World Championships.
Crown discipline: sprint.
She did not participate in the 2017/18 World Cup.
The winner of the third result at the qualifying starts – 26 points.
Vasilyeva, like Pavlova, was involved in the work of the Russian team at the IBU Cup only in the spring of 2018. Margarita didn’t manage to make any noise, but fifth place in the sprint in the second race is a reason to be proud. God willing, there will be something to be proud of at the World Cup.
Biathlon can be closed. This will be the most boring World Cup ever
Heroes, stars and icons have left biathlon. You'll have to look at Fourcade's endless sad victories... And no pink lipstick for you.
33 years old, place of birth - Leningrad.
Highest achievement: winner of the 2015 World Championship in the individual race.
Signature discipline: pursuit race, mass start.
According to the results of the World Cup of the 2017/18 season, she took 13th place.
At the qualifying competitions in Kontiolahti she scored 24 points.
Biathlon fans don’t need to be reminded of anything about Yurlova-Perkht. The most stable Russian biathlete, winner of the World Championships in Kontiolahti, winner of two awards in individual races at the World Cup. By the standards of Pyleva and Medvedtseva, God knows what, but in the current team, Ekaterina is a celestial being, the undisputed leader of the women's team.
25 years old, place of birth – Labytnangi, Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug.
Highest achievement: three-time world champion in summer biathlon.
Crown discipline: sprint.
She did not participate in the 2017/18 World Cup.
Many fans consider Ilchenko the prettiest girl in the current convocation of the Russian national team. But Christina also claims to be the fastest. In Russia, they didn’t really believe in her biathlon talent, so Kristina went to Belarus, but did not succeed there. A new chance to revive her career presented itself to the girl upon returning home. Ilchenko successfully passed the qualification; all that remained was to overcome the eternal problem with shooting.
21 years old, place of birth – Mozhga, Udmurtia.
Highest achievement: winner of the Junior World Championship.
Signature discipline: sprint, pursuit.
She did not participate in the 2017/18 World Cup.
At the qualifying starts in Kontiolahti she scored 23 points.
Valeria Vasnetsova, in case you forgot, already has experience of competing at the World Cup: at the very end of last season, the coaches gave the girl a chance, and she took 79th place in the sprint. I would like to believe that from the start of the new season the results will be slightly higher. Still, in juniors, Valeria won a whole bunch of awards at the World and European Championships. There must be self-confidence!
24 years old, place of birth – Mozhga, Udmurtia.
Highest achievement: two-time European champion.
Crown discipline: sprint.
According to the results of the World Cup of the 2017/18 season, she took 48th place.
Called up to the Russian national team for the World Cup by decision of the coaching staff.
Just a couple of years ago, she was in the main Russian national team with a bird's license - in fact, simply because the public was indignant and demanded rejuvenation, and Ulyana showed herself brilliantly at the IBU Cup. In two years, Kaisheva did not reach the stars, but twice made it into the top ten. And in the new lineup she is one of the most experienced athletes. Apparently, it was precisely because of her experience in the World Cup that the coaches gave Kaisheva a wild card.
Over the course of five stages of the World Cup, members of the main team competed with top biathletes. At the same time, the reserve squad, yesterday's juniors, as well as athletes for whom the coaching staff had other questions, fought for a place among the best at the IBU Cup. European Cup medals are inferior to the prestige of world awards, but successful performances allow the athlete to get in shape and remind himself.
The European Championship, which took place in Duszniki-Zdroj, finally put everything on the shelf. In Poland, the Russian team won six gold, four silver and three bronze medals. It is known that the strongest athletes do not participate in competitions below the world level, but it was in these races that the fate of some biathletes was decided.
Alexey Volkov
A native of the city of Raduzhny, a multiple medalist of Russian and European championships, an Olympic medalist in the relay race, this year he remained outside the main team. The only start at the World Cup was the race in Ruhpolding, where Volkov won silver as part of a relay quartet. Alexey spent the rest of his time at the IBU Cup, which he perceives as an exile.
Despite the loss of motivation, the athlete performed brilliantly in Poland and even set a record, becoming the most titled biathlete at the European Championships. Based on the results of European starts, the shooting statistics improved to 96%. Such stability will be a big plus at the world championship. And even though Alexey will only take part in the team race, a World Championship medal is exactly what is missing from the Ugra resident’s collection.
Svetlana Sleptsova
In the past, the biathlete from Khanty-Mansiysk regularly delighted fans with victories. At the 2008 World Cup, the promising athlete won an impressive set of awards, then multiple victories at the World Championships and gold at the Olympic Games in Vancouver.
The last three seasons have passed without high-profile victories for Sleptsova, and it has become more difficult to gain a foothold in the “core” of the Russian team. This year, the Ugra woman performed at three stages of the World Cup, where her best result was sixth place, and her worst was 63rd position. Thus, the biathlete, together with the youth, went to “get in shape” at European tournaments. The decisive event was the European Championship, where Svetlana won four medals - gold, two silver and bronze. Now it’s important not to miss the opportunity and meet the coaches’ expectations.
Daria Virolainen
The Yugra resident has long been known in world biathlon. Daria won the love of fans from her first starts: in her debut race at the 2013-2014 World Cup, the biathlete sensationally finished in second place. “Silver” success was repeated the next season. In the pursuit race in Antholz, Italy, Virolainen again climbed to the second step of the podium, losing only to Daria Domracheva.
After that, it was not possible to shine at the world championships; some problems arose with shooting. But the coaching staff is in no hurry to write off the athlete. This season, Daria performed confidently at the IBU Cup and is at the top of the overall standings. The Ugra’s consistent performances inspire hope for new medals at the upcoming World Championships.
Alexander Loginov
The 25-year-old biathlete has become one of the most talked about athletes of the current season. In just a few years, Alexander Loginov received many titles: the young athlete managed to become a four-time world champion among juniors, a five-time European champion under 21, win a World Cup medal and even qualify for the Olympic Games. The success came to an abrupt end when a doping test from 2013 came back positive. According to the IBU decision, the period of disqualification was two years.
After serving his sentence, Loginov, in accordance with international rules, returned to the sport. However, against the background of the doping scandal, the biathlon community reacted ambiguously to the presence of the athlete. The coaching staff was also in no hurry to make a decision - even at the end of three stages of the IBU Cup, where Alexander did not fall below fourth place and won three gold medals. With his performances in Poland, the biathlete once again proved that he is worthy of the World Championships. Given his speed, accuracy and psychological stability, Loginov can become a real contender for medals.
When forming the application, the board of the Russian Biathlon Union mainly adhered to the sports principle. As announced, the winners of the European Championship and the leaders of the overall standings of the IBU Cup received a ticket to the world championship.
In total, the men's team included eight biathletes: Anton Shipulin, Anton Babikov, Alexey Volkov, Evgeny Garanichev, Matvey Eliseev, Alexander Loginov, Dmitry Malyshko and Maxim Tsvetkov. The women's team is formed by athletes Tatyana Akimova, Daria Virolainen, Ekaterina Glazyrina, Olga Podchufarova, Svetlana Sleptsova and Irina Starykh.
Let us remind you that the 2017 World Championships will be held in Hochfilzen from February 8 to 19. The competition program included sprint, mass start, individual race, relay, pursuit, as well as the youngest discipline - mixed relay.
AZAT GARIPOV