Slow shooting and misses Kuklina: why the Russians were left without medals in the single mix at the biathlon world championship

Prospects for a medal and a competent choice of a duet

The biathlon world championship is still mixed for the Russians. On the one hand, the national team already has two medals in the piggy bank, on the other, Alexander Loginov won both. In the remaining races of the championship of the planet I wanted to make sure that other representatives of the team were able to climb the podium.

And the single mix provided a great opportunity for this.

The discipline introduced into the World Cup program only last year is notable for its unpredictability and speed. In it, accurate shooting comes to the fore.

The choice of a duet for the race by the coaching staff seemed quite logical. The team relied on the exact Larisa Kuklina and fast Matvey Eliseev. In the sprint, a native of Zelenograd sometimes lacks the strength for the last lap, but he had to cope with 7.5 km, the more he got just three days of rest after a failed pursuit.

However, other teams also intended to compete for the victory. The main favorites were the Norwegians Johannes Boe and Marte Olsbu Ruisland. The pair of Dorothea Wierer-Lukas Hofer owners looked very powerful. Traditionally strong French and German duets aimed at medals.

“I can’t explain what happened to the shooting today”

It probably does not make sense to paint all the ups and downs of the race. Suffice it to say that the Russians were once again out of work and took seventh place with a minute lag behind the predictably victorious Norwegians.

First of all, Kuklina and Eliseev did not work out shooting. Of course, they were not the fastest on the track, but could not take their own thanks to good work at the borders. Larisa was especially upset, having made four misses. In the Russian national team, she is one of the best in this component, but in Anterselva she seemed to be replaced, and an experienced athlete in three races made 14 misfires at once.

And Kuklin was not expected to compete with rivals in speed. At the first stage, she showed only the 12th move (+13.0), and at the second - the 13th (+20.3). Larissa lacked strength and in the last few laps.

Eliseev, by contrast, was quick enough. With his feet he demonstrated the fifth (+6.4) and third move (+10.9). A slight slowdown in his speed occurred only in the second round of the first stage. At the finish, Matvey was very good and lost only to Johannes Be and Benjamin Veger.

On the whole, Zelenogradec dealt with the shooting - only two misses. However, he worked too long on the firing lines. For example, a Russian spent as much as 34 seconds on his first stance and made one miss. He spent only more on the rug - 40 seconds, but he had three misfires in the passive.

Matvey worked the same amount on the second bench. While the rivals quickly coped with the task, Eliseev spent an unacceptably long time.

“Seventh place does not suit in any way and, of course, greatly upsets. She fought normally, and Larisa was fast enough, but they lost a lot at the shooting range. In such a race there you need to work more aggressively. In the summer, we found high-quality but slower shooting. We’ll come to speed gradually, ”Eliseyeva quotes Match TV.

Kuklin experienced similar problems, which generally dragged on the third frontier by 41 seconds. And only at the last frontiers both relaxed and worked quickly, but it was already too late.

“I can’t explain what happened with the shooting today. On the second laying did not orient with the wind. I did extra shots with the removal of it. Feel? A bit unusual to work at this pace, remembered the junior years. Previously, I was always put in the first stages, then it was more lively. Then it all went away. I'm glad that they again gave me a chance to try myself. Yesterday Vitaliy Noritsyn wrote a message that I will start. She said she was ready, ”summed up Kuklin.

Thus, the Russian team was again left without awards and skipped ahead in the medal standings of the tournament France. The assets of domestic biathletes are all the same gold and Loginov bronze. The rest do not succeed in rising to the top three. A rest day will be held in Anterselva on Friday, and at the weekend the Russians will have a good opportunity to replenish the team piggy bank in relay races and mass starts.