Opinions & Interviews
Albers: Belarus’ leading athletes recovering, preparing for IBU European Championships
MINSK, 14 February (BelTA) – Leading Belarusian biathletes, Olympic champions Iryna Kryuko and Dzinara Alimbekava are recovering from a virus infection and preparing for the IBU Open European Championships, chief referee of the forthcoming sport event at the Raubichi Olympic Training Center Yuri Albers told a press conference hosted by BelTA on 14 February.
“The situation ahead of the championships is complicated. As is known, our team went down with a virus. We were looking for the cause and finally came to the conclusion that the athletes fell ill after the return from Antholz. Iryna Kryuko and Dzinara Alimbekava have almost recovered. The Olympic champions have already held a shooting practice and will train on the track tomorrow. Vladimir Chepelin is still down with temperature. We are planning to field Iryna Kryuko, Dzinara Alimbekava, Elena Kruchinkina and Irina Kruchinkina, Sergei Bocharnikov, Raman Yaliotnau, Anton Smolski and Nikita Lobastov for the first races on 20 February,” Yuri Albers said.
Many leading biathletes chose not to travel to Canada and the United States for the BMW IBU World Biathlon Cups but to focus on the preparations for the IBU Open European Championships in Minsk and the IBU World Biathlon Championships in Sweden. Russia will send its strongest athletes to Raubichi. Famous biathletes will come from Norway, Germany and Ukraine. All in all, taking part in the sport forum will be 295 biathletes.
Raubichi will host the Legends’ Race and the IBU Open European Championships on 18-24 February 2019. The Raubichi Olympic Training Center hosted earlier both world and European biathlon championships. After major renovations the center hosted the 49th edition of the Biathlon Junior World Championships in 2015.
The 2019 IBU Open European Championships schedule:
20 February
16h00 – Men’s 20km Individual
19h30 – Women’s 15km Individual
21 February
16h00 – Single mixed relay
19h00 – 2x6+2x7.5 Mixed Relay
23 February
11h00 – Men’s 10km sprint
14h00 - Women’s 7.5km sprint
24 February
11h00 – Men’s 12.5km pursuit
13h00 – Women’s 10km pursuit.
print version
make home page
add to bookmarks
