The first block of the Russian Biathlon Championship was completed in Khanty-Mansiysk. On the eve of the athletes competed in the mass start. Here the male race brought medals to our biathletes. Yugorcans for four races won - 5 medals, two of which our athletes mined on the last day of the contest.
The weather is excellent: on the street -7 degrees. Snow from the bright sun becomes even a little loose. And some three days ago, Martov Cold was hung around Biathlon in Khanty-Mansiysk. The 30-degree frost almost spoiled a sports holiday. But the schedule changed and all the races, albeit in a more dense chart, took place.
Men on the mass start declared 31 biathletes. All according to the standard: 15 kilometers and 4 fire lines. The only and main obstacle for biathletes is the wind. He dies, but accelerates again.
So, for example, after the first fire turn "Purely", only six athletes shot. And by the end of the race, the exact shots remained only on the account of Ugrachanina Andrei Pavlov. It is worth noting that this is his first award in the championships of the country. If we talk about the nearest pursuers, they made three fines. In second place, Viktor Plovents was located from Udmurtia, another Yugrucan Dmitry Ivanov closed the troika leaders.
Dmitry Ivanov, the national team of Ugra, the bronze medalist in the big mass start: "Heavy conditions for shooting, but Andrei Pavlov today showed grandmaster shooting. This suggests that you can shoot in any weather. It doesn't matter the wind there or the snow goes. " Andrei Pavlov, the champion of Russia in the mass start: "There were some interference lying, in principle, but at the last rack it was affected. Let's just say, I had to make a delay, postpone a few shots. But in general, I coped, did not allow misaits. Therefore, I think, today the shooting can be written to the asset. "
After dinner, the wind was laughed at a joke. And it was absolutely clear - the girls will be even more complicated on the firing borders. In total, 27 biathletes fought in the women's mass start for the medals, and no one managed to avoid misses. Weather conditions delivered discomfort not only on firing laps, but also at the distance.
We endured the weather whims not all. Victoria Slotko from Tyumen was close to repeat the success of Ugra Andrei Pavlov, but biathleteered "Rack". For the last two fighter turns, she accumulated three misses. The benefit of the rivals were also mistaken and could not interfere with Victoria to fight for gold. The main competitor she had Anna Nikulina from the Novosibirsk region. The question of the winner was standing before the finish. Everyone decided me meters. Creamy first, Nikulina second.
Victoria Slotko, the national team of the Tyumen region, the winner of the mass start: "This year I have just such every second personal race that is exactly what I constantly have to fight. And in Tyumen, we fled persecution, and everywhere, in general, disassembly finish. Therefore, it is even more familiar and I have emotions. I want to prove that you are strong. "
And to prove there is that. Victoria struggles for a place in the national team. For her, this is the second gold at this championship. Previously, she achieved success in a mixed solitary relay. She paired with Denis Tashtimerov did not leave the rivals chances. Until the European champion is still coming to itself after the transferred coronavirus.
"I want to fight, I want to prove that I am strong, I must be in the team and that I will still fight. The next year is Olympic, and I will do everything possible to get to the Olympics and show worthy results, "Victoria's biathlonist emphasized.
All three races of the country championship planned at the beginning of March ended. The next part of the competition will be held at the end of March. There, in the struggle for the medals, we will see the best biathletes of the country, which now represent our country at the World Cups and IBU stages.