Dzinara Smolskaya. Photo courtesy of the NOC of Belarus
MINSK, 12 February (BelTA) – Belarusian biathlete Dzinara Smolskaya secured a top-six finish in the women’s pursuit race at the fifth leg of the Commonwealth Biathlon Cup in Sochi, Russia, BelTA has learned.
A total of 42 athletes took part in the 10 km women’s pursuit, with Smolskaya starting in fourth position. The Belarusian recorded one miss on each of the two prone shooting stages and added another penalty loop during the final standing shoot. Smolskaya crossed the finish line in fifth place, nearly one and a half minutes behind the podium finishers. Victory went to Russia’s Natalya Shevchenko, followed by Anastasiia Khalili and Kristina Reztsova.
As for other Belarusian competitors, Kseniya Varabei claimed 14th place, Alena Kulak delivered a clean shooting performance and finished 16th, while Hanna Sola recorded nine misses across the shooting stages and came in 21st. Irina Shakleina finished 28th, while Alina Zaitsava, Viktoryia Shashkova and Hanna Pesterava did not complete the distance. In the men’s pursuit, Belarus’ Maksim Varabei finished sixth, while Anton Smolski rounded out the top ten.
Biathletes will have a rest day on 12 January, with men and women set to compete for medals in mass start races on 14 January. The fifth leg of the Commonwealth Biathlon Cup will conclude with team sprints on 15 February.
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