Allowing journalists to display state symbols and composition for the mixed relay

The Russian biathletes approached the World Championship in Pokljuka in a good mood.

So, Larisa Kuklina, during her morning workout on Tuesday, enjoyed the truly winter weather and snow.

Added optimism and the results of the latest tests of domestic athletes for coronavirus, which they passed on Monday.

All turned out to be negative.

Accordingly, the coaching staff of the national team got the opportunity to use all the strongest in the first race of the world championship - the mixed relay.

The same biathletes who mined gold in this form at the KM stage in Oberhof will start on Wednesday: Ulyana Kaisheva, Svetlana Mironova, Alexander Loginov and Eduard Latypov.

However, in Pokljuka, girls will finish the race.

At the same time, last year's world champion will run at the first stage, and not his younger partner.

“Sasha Loginov is more experienced.

Still, Latypov did not take part in so many relay races at the World Cup, and even more so at the world championships.

We talked with Alexander.

He said: “As you say.

I am ready to run any stage ", - quotes the words of the head coach of the national team Valery Polkhovsky" Match TV ".

The specialist also spoke about the challenge facing domestic biathletes in Slovenia.

According to him, they should perform at the current World Cup no worse than last year.

Then the team was content with two Loginov medals: gold in the sprint and bronze in the pursuit.

“The main thing is to do everything so that the athlete is provided from all sides, prepared, released to the start in good condition, ready to fight.

This is our task.

Doctors, coaches, masseurs, service - we must all work together for the result, ”added Polkhovsky.

In turn, the head coach of the men's team, Yuri Kaminsky, on the eve of the start of the championship of the planet, lowered the fans from heaven to earth.

He urged them not to take too seriously the results of the last KM stage before the World Cup in Anterselva, as opponents from other countries there were "exhausted".

“In general, we have completed the entire program that was planned.

And we tried to improve the condition of the athletes, we did a lot in this regard.

And the shooting coach Maxim Maksimov says that everything that was planned was also done in the shooting unit.

But our rivals did not lie on the couch either.

Now the implementation depends on the athletes, ”the official website of the SBR quotes the specialist as saying.

Meanwhile, the leader of the Russian national team Loginov, who has never been a fan of talking to the press, decided to completely abandon any comments in the mixed zone until the very end of the tournament.

This was reported by Match TV.

The media representatives will only have to support the athlete in the stands with the Russian flag.

Fortunately, the IBU did not prohibit them from showing state symbols.

This is due to the fact that the WADA requirements simply do not contain such a clause.

At the same time, journalists will not be able, for example, to transfer the flag to domestic biathletes.

Reztsova's pessimism and Drachev's pragmatic attitude

In Russia, the start of the World Cup is expected with different emotions.

Some experts believe that the national team will be able to win several medals, while others fear that the team will be left without any awards at all.

Prominent commentator Dmitry Guberniev is optimistic.

“Our team in this composition can compete for prizes.

The composition of all of them is fighting - no one in the mixed relay protects anyone.

A year before the Olympics.

All the strongest are running.

I think there will be ten teams competing for prizes.

But I don’t refuse my words - we will have two or three medals at the championship, one of them is gold ”, - quotes the journalist“ Sport-Express ”.

Guberniev also appreciated the composition for the mixed relay and wished Loginov at the first stage of "peace of mind".

“Latypov is in his place, but Loginov, who gets into this meat grinder, must show his best qualities.

At the first stage, all the strongest run, ”added the commentator.

In turn, the former president of the SBR, Vladimir Drachev, suggested that the Russian national team would fight for getting into the top three in the first place in relay races. 

“In personal races, of course, it will be difficult.

Any individual starts require possible fundamental shifts forward.

Judging by the personal KM races, our athletes were not in the best condition.

Let's take Mironova and Loginov out of brackets - there is probably hope for them.

If they cope, as it was in the races where they took medals, then the chances will increase, "- quotes Drachev" Championship ".

But the two-time Olympic champion Anfisa Reztsova is much less optimistic.

In her opinion, each award will be given to the Russians with great difficulty. 

“I don’t want to offend Sasha Loginov, but I think he will not be able to take gold at this world championship.

Medal - perhaps, but not first place.

I would really like this, but he is not ready now.

I don't think the girls will have any awards either.

I would like to have medals, but I don't know if it will work out, ”Reztsova said in an interview with Sport24.

Tension in the Norwegian national team and two extra servicemen

Meanwhile, in the strongest national team on the planet - the Norwegian - the atmosphere is turbulent.

The competition in the team is so serious that some people lose their nerves.

So, Tarjei Boe was not included in the mixed relay and in an interview with local journalists reflected on the topic of playing for another country, remembering Thorstein Stenersen, who received a Swedish passport.

However, the Olympic champion ruled out such an opportunity for himself.

On Wednesday, the Norwegians will be represented in the mixed relay by Sturla Holm Legrade, Johannes Boe, Tiril Eckhoff and Martha Røisland.

All four are in the top 2 of the men's and top 2 women's total of the World Cup, respectively.

Unsurprisingly, the Scandinavians are considered the main favorites of the race.

“Naturally, we all have high expectations.

But that's the difficulty when you are the favorite on paper.

Everyone expects us to win.

But this does not mean that we will win, we need to fight for this victory.

Fight because everyone wants to get ahead of us.

On the other hand, this is a good challenge, a good experience, given that the Olympic Games will be held next year.

There will be more attention.

Therefore, whatever the result on Wednesday, the race will be a good lesson, "- quotes the words of the coach of the Norwegian national team Siegfried Maze" Match TV ".

In addition to Germany, France, Italy and Sweden, the specialist also included Russia among the main rivals of his wards in the mixed relay.

And the director of the Norwegian national team, Per-Arne Botnan, spoke about the medal plans.

According to him, Johannes Boe and his partners must perform in Slovenia no worse than at last year's World Cup: take 4-6 gold medals and 10-12 in total.

Meanwhile, the former coach of the Russian women's national team, the Swede Wolfgang Pichler, was outraged by the fact that the Norwegians' headquarters will have two more servicemen than the other teams.

They will be assisted by specialists working with the Chinese national team, which did not come to the tournament.

As for the prospects of their compatriots, the coach suggested that they will take three medals.