Today, the qualifiers for the women's 10 kilometers freestyle and the men's 15 kilometers freestyle were decided at the World Championships in Oberstdorf.

On the women's side, biathlete Baiba Bendika, Latvia, won.

She has just left the biathlon world championships in Pokljuka with a ninth place in the mass start as the best result.

Right at the mass start, she was involved and shot for the gold but finished ninth, two places behind Hanna Öberg.

It also became a fourteenth place in the singles mixed relay.

So now she has unpacked the rifle temporarily and stepped into the World Championships.

- It was mostly like a fun thing and to get a little more experience and see what I can achieve in cross-country skiing, says Baiba Bendika to SVT Sport.

Baiba Bendika took European Championship gold in sprint this year and last season she was 32nd in the total in the World Cup.

"Is a little tired"

Her participation in the World Length Championships has been planned for a long time.

- It was planned from last summer when it was still a World Cup competition in China.

We did not want to go there to avoid changing time zone.

So even though they moved that competition to Europe (Nove Mesto), we left this in the planning.

Even though she has already ridden an entire world championship, she feels quite fit.

- Of course I'm a little tired.

There were many competitions and it feels good.

But I'm pretty used to competing a lot.

- Last year I went directly from the WC to the EC and after that it was the World Cup.

So I hope this does not affect my form in biathlon.

"Keeps me biathlon"

But she has no plans to switch to cross-country skiing.

- No no.

I stick to biathlon.

10 kilometers free will be decided on March 2.

On March 6, Baiba Bendika will run the sprint in the biathlon world cup.

- I will run all three biathlon world cups that are left.

Latvian is aware of Hanna Öberg, Linn Persson and the other Swedish biathletes.

- We know each other, especially us at the top.

I always keep track of the girls and how they fight.

They are a very strong team, says Bendika.