“We understood that they can do everything”: how the victory of biathletes in the relay at the KM stage inspired Russia before the World Championships

“I did 110% of what I could”

The stage of the Biathlon World Cup in Anterselva, the last before the world championship in Pokljuka, was successfully completed by the Russians.

The women managed to win the first gold in the relay in two years.

Evgenia Palova, Tatyana Akimova, Svetlana Mironova and Ulyana Kaisheva climbed the podium. 

They all performed their stages hard.

So, Pavlova's team slayer coped with the excitement and, despite three misses on the second line, passed the baton to the third.

She also showed the best move.

"I tried hard.

The state of health was normal, but the tremors in the legs were serious, re-recovery on the "stand".

There she passed on a thin one so as not to go into a circle, and then she tried to “beat off” with her feet to the maximum, so that it would be easier for the team to work with the leaders.

Misses?

It was simply required to “beat off” everything to the end and run, ”the sportswoman noted on Match TV.

Akimov's fans were especially pleased.

The coaching staff brought the experienced athlete back from the IBU Cup, and she helped the national team win the long-awaited relay gold. 

“The state of health is not bad, from the first lap we walked with the German woman.

They led me and told me not to twitch.

We ran exactly at a good pace.

The skis worked great thanks to the service team.

Missing on the "rack"?

The task was to shoot faster and go a distance.

Everything worked out, ”Akimova noted.

Akimova was able to win back one position, while Mironova retained the second place.

After the race, Svetlana admitted that she gave literally all her strength at the distance. 

“When you watch from the side how a member of your team works at the turn, you worry more than when you shoot yourself.

I feel very hard in Anterselva without acclimatization.

I have such an organism, I can’t help myself.

When I finished, I breathed out that it was the last race, although the stage turned out to be excellent for us, ”Mironova said.

Kaisheva managed to put the winning point.

She, together with Franziska Preuss, fled from her pursuers, and left the "stand" as the sole leader, despite two misses. 

“I, of course, understood and saw that the German woman was a little late at the turn.

I don't know how it happened, but I didn't feel any excitement.

As in previous races, I walked with a margin to leave strength for the last lap.

There I have already done 110% of what I could.

It was impossible to show more.

Acclimatization is still present.

It's hard to breathe when you just stand, sit.

I think we can still add, ”Kaisheva stressed.

In turn, the coaches of the Russian national team could only rejoice at the success of the wards.

But the senior coach of the women's team, Mikhail Shashilov, noted that the girls need to continue to work on themselves in order to achieve success at the World Cup.

“Positive emotions, excessive joy.

Something worked out, some didn't.

I congratulate everyone, especially the fans who followed, worried ... We need to work on ourselves.

Why did Akimova run, and not Larisa Kuklina?

It was necessary to try Tatyana in the relay, she coped perfectly.

Questions, perhaps, remained on the arrangement of the stages.

Finish Kaysheva?

Ulyana showed that she could show, ”said the specialist.

Shashilov also promised that the Russian biathletes would try to add to the world championship, and suggested that the composition of the relay four would not change.

In turn, the head coach of the national team Valery Polkhovsky explained why Akimova did not appear at the KM stages earlier.

“I think Tatiana has not yet reached the basic condition that she had before her break in her career.

She had a lot of crossings, and now there will be time for more purposeful preparation for the World Cup, where Akimova should still improve in speed qualities, "R-Sport quotes Polkhovsky.

The Minister of Sports Oleg Matytsin also congratulated the Russians on their success.

He called the KM stage in Anterselva the most successful for the national team in the current season and expressed his hope for a worthy performance at the World Cup.

And SBR President Viktor Maygurov suggested that in Pokljuka, domestic biathletes will compete for medals in every race.

“The latest starts have shown that we are able to fight in any discipline at the World Cup.

After the European Championship, this team will be joined by one or two people who will play at the World Cup, "Maygurov said on the air of Match TV.

Victory for @russianbiathlon in the 4th women's relay of this winter!

# ANT21

🥇🇷🇺 @russianbiathlon

🥈🇩🇪 @skiverband

🥉🇫🇷 @FedFranceSkihttps: //t.co/bk5aBBso9Qpic.twitter.com/amZJzT7GF2

- IBU World Cup (@IBU_WC) January 24, 2021

"This victory will help to gain confidence before the World Cup"

Former President of the SBR Vladimir Drachev also rejoiced at the victory of the national team in the women's relay.

According to him, the national team is training on the eve of the World Cup with lifting in functional and shooting training.

“I am glad that the girls were able to cope with the shooting and overcome the psychological line of the fight for medals.

We worked in the most difficult conditions.

It is always difficult without preparation in Anterselva.

It can be seen how many have their legs shaking and acclimatization falls out, but ours managed to cope.

This victory will help to gain confidence before the World Cup.

They say that chickens are counted in the fall, but in our country - according to the primacy of the planet ", - quotes the words of Drachev" Championship ".

At the same time, many experts honestly admitted that they did not expect such a result in the relay from Russian girls.

Among them was the three-time Olympic champion Anfisa Reztsova. 

“The girls did not spoil us with success either this season or the past.

Of course, it is gratifying that our four is in the first place.

At the same time, all the athletes worked very well.

A slight tension, however, was present when Mironova was working at the "stand" ... Kaisheva is a fine fellow.

She worked very well on the last lap.

And this is also unexpected.

Usually Ulyana's speed drops on the last lap.

Needless to say, the girls made me happy, ”Match TV quotes Reztsova.

However, the three-time Olympic champion lamented that the main relay four of the Russian women's national team actually had no replacement, and the coaches were in no hurry to try young biathletes in business.

“We have good athletes who should also be tried.

Yes, our girls seem to be well prepared today, but Pokljuka is still two weeks away.

Maybe one of them will lose shape.

Therefore, there must always be a worthy replacement.

What if someone from this four falls out?

God forbid, of course.

Let's hope that they will keep their shape before the World Cup, ”Reztsova added.  

The two-time Olympic champion Dmitry Vasiliev did not expect victory from the Russian national team.

In his opinion, the chances for a high result for the team appeared thanks to the return of Akimova. 

“I didn't think they would win, but I thought about the podium.

There were good chances only due to the fact that Akimova was invited.

I've been talking about this for a long time: why was it pickled?

She should have been at the World Cup for a long time.

Today Tatiana played one of the key roles.

She shot great and went well with the move.

I spent my stage with a plus ”, - quotes the expert Sport24.

Vasiliev also singled out Kaisheva.

“The rest of the girls also walked straight.

When there is no need to catch up, it is easier to work in your own mode and walk with the leaders together.

Akimova gave the stage to Mironova, and she could only run smoothly and not force.

Kaisheva is great, I was particularly worried about her.

Not for shooting, but for the fact that the move is unsuccessful.

But she did it beyond praise, ”added Vasiliev.

Akimova was also praised by the former head coach of the Russian national team Anatoly Khovantsev.

He believes that Tatiana is necessary for the national team at the World Cup.

“Everything went very well.

The girls are great.

First of all, they coped with the shooting better than other teams.

The main thing is that all this is preserved until the World Cup.

Akimova confirmed her status, she is a relay fighter.

The fact that she was needed at the World Championships was evident both in our competitions and in the international ones in which Tatyana participated, ”the expert quotes the“ Championship ”.

The Olympic champions in the Vancouver-2010 relay also spoke about the success of the Russians.

Olga Zaitseva congratulated the girls on the victory and wished them to continue in the same spirit at the World Cup. 

“The main thing is not to lose the taste of victory, now we have to hold on to this place, working further.

They realized that they can and they can do anything.

Perfectly removed the psychological stress, "- said Zaitseva in an interview with" R-Sport ". 

In turn, Svetlana Sleptsova noted the good psychological readiness of the Russians.

According to her, domestic biathletes acted as confidently as possible on the firing lines and looked good at a distance.

“The speed today was good for both Pavlova and Kaisheva, Akimova did everything perfectly.

They all worked very well, deserved this victory, I hope they will continue at the World Cup the same way.

The championship is only in three weeks, it is not known who will feel how by that moment, this is still a long time.

But at the moment this is our optimal composition, I hope, in this combination, they will win the championship of the planet, ”Sleptsova TASS quotes.

Finally, the three-time world champion Ivan Tcherezov was glad for Kaisheva.

“To endure such a struggle, when you walk along with your rivals at every line, fight, with a very small margin going to the finish circle, is a very high emotional stress, and she coped with it.

Even before the start of the broadcast, when the profile of the athletes was shown, the thought flew past that this was the optimal lineup for the relay, both in stages, and specifically in surnames, "Tcherezov noted.